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Atkinson Physician Assistant Education PA Assistant Education
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Clinical Curriculum

During the clinical phase of the curriculum, learners care for patients in supervised clinical settings. They participate as integral interprofessional patient care team members with UC San Diego School of Medicine faculty and community providers serving as preceptors.

The clinical phase provides learners with experiences that allow them to hone their history-taking, physical examination, diagnostic, and oral and written communication skills. In caring for diverse patient populations who present with a wide range of medical and surgical conditions, learners diagnose conditions, formulate management plans, educate and counsel patients to promote health, apply cost-effective strategies, incorporate evidence and social determinants of health into decision-making, and respect the beliefs and dignity of every patient. Educational highlights and innovations during the clinical phase include:

  • Clinical rotations at UC San Diego Health, one of the top medical centers in the country
  • Rural and border health training locations provide learners with unique opportunities to gain
    valuable skill sets for future practice
  • Seven core rotations and three elective or selective rotations
  • PANCE prep software and resources
  • One protected rotation block allows independent study for capstone project completion and
    PANCE prep

Learners complete 40 weeks of clinical experience and earn 48 units during the clinical phase of the program.

Clinical Curriculum

Quarter

Units
Summer 12.5
Fall 12
Winter 8.5
Spring 8.5
Summer 6.5

Total

48

Courses

Units
PAE 410 Family Medicine Rotation 4
PAE 411 Internal Medicine Rotation 4
PAE 412 Pediatrics Rotation 4
PAE 420 Women's Health Rotation 4
PAE 430 Mental and Behavioral Health Rotation 4
PAE 440 Surgery Rotation 4
PAE 450 Emergency Medicine Rotation 4
PAE 451 Clinical Elective Rotation I* 4
PAE 452 Clinical Elective Rotation II* 4
PAE 453 Clinical Elective Rotation III* 4
PAE 454 Independent Study Rotation* 4
PAE 491 Clinical Capstone I 0.5
PAE 492 Clinical Capstone II 0.5
PAE 493 Clinical Capstone III 0.5
PAE 494 Clinical Capstone IV 0.5
PAE 495 Program to Practice 1
PAE 496 Comprehensive Review 1

total

48

* Selective Rotation series courses replace Clinical Elective Rotations and PAE 489 replaces PAE 454 to satisfy Clinical Concentration requirements.

Course Descriptions

PAE 410

Family Medicine Rotation

This supervised clinical practice experience requires active participation in the clinical evaluation and management of patients seeking preventive, urgent, acute, and chronic care in a primary care setting. Encounters will include experience with infants, children, adolescents, adults, and elderly.

PAE 411

Internal Medicine Rotation

This four-week supervised clinical practice experience requires active participation in the comprehensive, longitudinal care of adult patients in an internal medicine specialty.

PAE 412

Pediatric Medicine Rotation

This four-week supervised clinical practice experience requires active participation in the care of patients in the primary care specialty of pediatrics which focuses on the care of patients from birth to adolescence through young adulthood.

PAE 420

Women’s Health Rotation

This supervised clinical practice experience requires active participation in the clinical evaluation and management of patients seeking women’s health, to include prenatal and gynecologic care. Encounters will include adolescents, adults, and elderly.

PAE 430

Mental and Behavioral Health Rotation

This four-week supervised clinical practice experience requires active participation in the care of patients seeking behavioral and mental healthcare across the lifespan. Learners will participate in the evaluation and management of patients with mental and behavioral health concerns.

PAE 440

Surgery Rotation

This four-week supervised clinical practice experience requires active participation in the care of patients in a surgical specialty. Emphasis will include a focus on the physician assistant’s role as a member of the surgical management team.

PAE 450

Emergency Medicine Rotation

This four-week supervised clinical practice experience requires active participation in the care of patients in an emergency department setting with a focus on the evaluation and management of patients who present with acute, traumatic, urgent, and emergent medical needs.   

PAE 451

Clinical Elective Rotation I

This four-week supervised clinical practice experience requires active participation in a medical or surgical discipline. Learners will elect additional experiences in a specialty of their choice in settings that include inpatient, outpatient, surgery, urgent care, and the emergency department.

PAE 452

Clinical Elective Rotation II

This four-week supervised clinical practice experience requires active participation in a medical or surgical discipline. Learners will elect additional experiences in a specialty of their choice in settings that include inpatient, outpatient, surgery, urgent care, and the emergency department.

PAE 453

Clinical Elective Rotation III

This four-week supervised clinical practice experience requires active participation in a medical or surgical discipline. Learners will elect additional experiences in a specialty of their choice in settings that include inpatient, outpatient, surgery, urgent care, and the emergency department.

PAE 454

Independent Study Rotation

This four-week non-clinical experience provides the learner with an opportunity to focus their efforts on completing their Capstone Project. This course also requires the learner to complete a self-directed learning plan to prepare for final written and practical summative assessments.

PAE 400

Special Topics

Special Topics courses are reserved for learners requiring extra time to complete their training due to factors such as hardship, leaves of absence, remediation, and deceleration. Credit hours vary.