Program Learning Outcomes & Graduate Competencies

Program learning outcomes and graduate competencies represent the requisite medical knowledge, interpersonal skills, clinical and technical skills, professional behaviors, and clinical reasoning and problem-solving abilities learners must acquire to graduate from the University of California San Diego School of Medicine Atkinson Physician Assistant Education Program.

This competency framework was informed by several resources including the program Strategic Plan, Competencies for the Physician Assistant Profession (AAPA et al., 2021), Core Competencies for the Physician Assistant Graduate (PAEA et al., 2018), and Toward a Common Taxonomy of Competency Domains for the Health Professions and Competencies for Physicians (Englander et al., 2013).

Medical Knowledge

Program Learning Outcome

Graduates will be able to apply comprehensive knowledge of biological, clinical, and behavioral sciences to provide preventive, emergent, acute, chronic, and rehabilitative care to patients across the life span that includes women’s health, perioperative, and behavioral health in outpatient, inpatient, emergency department, and surgical settings.

Competencies

MK-1

Apply knowledge of biological, clinical, and behavioral sciences¹ during the medical evaluation, diagnosis, and management of patients.

MK-2

Discern among acute, chronic, and emergent disease states.

MK-3

Apply knowledge of epidemiology to provide guideline-supported health maintenance recommendations.

MK-4

Implement evidence-based medicine principles to ensure medical care is supported by clinical practice guidelines and standards of care.

ARC Equivalents: Medical Knowledge; Clinical Reasoning and Problem-Solving

¹ biological, clinical, and behavioral sciences include: anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, genetics, pharmacology, psychiatry, cellular and molecular mechanisms of health and disease.

Person-centered Care

Program Learning Outcome

Graduates will be able to provide preventive, emergent, acute, chronic, and rehabilitative care in outpatient, inpatient, emergency department, and surgical settings that is equitable and is informed by the unique backgrounds, preferences, beliefs, and values of persons seeking care.

Competencies

PCC-1

Elicit accurate medical histories and perform technically proficient physical examinations.

PCC-2

Identify social determinants and system biases that contribute to healthcare disparities.

PCC-3

Utilize shared decision-making to ensure treatment plans align with the values of the patient, i.e., diagnostic studies, clinical interventions, therapies, and referral.

PCC-4

Employ interview skills to help patients modify behaviors and adhere to treatment plans.

PCC-5

Perform technical procedures commonly provided by physician assistants during the medical evaluation and management of patients.

ARC Equivalents: Clinical and Technical Skills; Clinical Reasoning and Problem-Solving

Interpersonal & Communication Skills

Program Learning Outcome

Graduates will be able to build effective therapeutic and professional relationships with patients, families, and other members of the healthcare team by demonstrating cultural humility, adaptability, resilience, and listening skills.

Competencies

ICS-1

Assess health literacy and use resources that are understandable and culturally sensitive.

ICS-2

Implement best practices to overcome barriers to effective communication.

ICS-3

Demonstrate empathy and honesty in all conversations with patients and families.

ICS-4

Document medical information accurately, legibly, and in a timely manner for the purposes of continuity and quality.

ARC Equivalents: Interpersonal Skills

Professionalism & Ethics

Program Learning Outcome

Graduates will be able to demonstrate behaviors and attitudes that convey knowledge and understanding of their responsibility to practice medicine in a manner that is beneficent and adheres to ethical and legal standards.

Competencies

PRE-1

Prioritize the needs of patients and their families above one’s self-interests and personal ideologies.

PRE-2

Demonstrate compassion for all patients and populations.

PRE-3

Comply with institutional policies, local, state, and federal laws and regulations related to professional licensure and practice.

PRE-4

Adhere to the ethical standards of patient privacy/confidentiality, autonomy, justice, and nonmaleficence.

PRE-5

Implement self-care strategies to maintain personal wellness, sustain professionalism, and prevent impairment and burnout.

ARC Equivalents: Professional Behaviors

Interprofessional collaboration

Program Learning Outcome

Graduates will be able to collaborate with a variety of healthcare professionals in a manner that optimizes team-based, and person-centered care.

Competencies

IPC-1

Articulate the roles and responsibilities of a physician assistant to patients, families, communities, and other healthcare professionals.

IPC-2

Leverage the expertise of other healthcare professionals by providing appropriate referrals.

IPC-3

Participate in interprofessional team-based care that optimizes patient outcomes and satisfaction.

ARC Equivalents: Interpersonal Skills

Practice-based Learning and Quality Improvement

Program Learning Outcome

Graduates will be able to evaluate medical literature and their own clinical practice experiences for the purposes of self-improvement, lifelong learning, and advancing the goals of quality, value, and patient satisfaction in healthcare.

Competencies

PBLQI-1

Utilize self-reflection and self-critique to identify strengths, biases, and deficits in knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors.

PBLQI-2

Engage in learning activities aimed at remediating biases and gaps in personal knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors.

PBLQI-3

Comply with safety protocols to prevent medical errors.

PBLQI-4

Employ healthcare improvement principles to evaluate practice performance and deliver valuebased healthcare.

PBLQI-5

Access and interpret reliable medical information to answer clinical questions and integrate new healthcare knowledge into practice.

ARC Equivalents: Clinical Reasoning and Problem-Solving

Society & Population Health

Program Learning Outcome

Graduates will be able to recognize and describe how the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live, and age can affect a wide range of health risks and integrate this knowledge into care decisions.

Competencies

SPH-1

Provide resources and advocacy to mitigate the effects of population-level determinants on the health of patients and communities.

SPH-2

Promote public health initiatives aimed at improving the health and wellness of patients and communities.

SPH-3

Assess the impact of one’s culture on beliefs about health, disease, care-seeking, and adherence.

ARC Equivalents: N/A

¹ biological, clinical, and behavioral sciences include: anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, genetics, pharmacology, psychiatry, cellular and molecular mechanisms of health and disease.

REFERENCES:

American Academy of Physician Assistants, Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc., Physician Assistant Education Association, National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants. (2021). Competencies for the PA profession; 2021. Available: https://www.aapa.org/download/90503/.

Englander, R., Cameron, T., Ballard, A. J., Dodge, J., Bull, J., & Aschenbrener, C. A. (2013). Toward a common taxonomy of competency domains for the health professions and competencies for physicians. Academic Medicine, 88(8), 1088-1094. Available: https://journals.lww.com/academicmedicine/fulltext/2013/08000/Toward_a_Common_Taxonomy_of_Competency_Domains_for.21.aspx

Physician Assistant Education Association. (2018). Core Competencies for New Physician Assistant Graduates; 2018. Available: https://paeaonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/core_competencies-new-pa-graduates-092018.pdf