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The Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MS-PAS) at Pfeiffer University is a 27-month program that prepares clinicians to provide exceptional health care. Students become servant leaders ready to address health disparities and social justice issues in medically underserved communities and beyond.
The program combines a 15-month didactic phase with a 12-month clinical phase that includes over 2,100 hours of supervised clinical practice experiences (SPCEs). As a Pfeiffer PA graduate, you will be prepared with the skills and knowledge to provide quality healthcare in rural medically underserved communities and beyond.
Core curriculum courses focus on topics like:
- Clinical Anatomy
- Medical Physiology
- Medical Interviewing, Counseling, and Documentation
- Pathophysiology of Disease
- Pharmacology
- Evidence-Based Medicine
- Clinical Medicine
Program Overview
Embark on a future of meeting people in their moment of need with excellent healthcare, compassion, and dignity.
27-month academic experience
115 credit hours (includes didactic and clinical phase)
The clinical phase includes behavioral and mental health, emergency medicine, family medicine, general surgery, internal medicine, pediatrics, women’s health, and orthopedics.
Program Highlights
Accreditation
At its September 2022 meeting, the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA) placed the Pfeiffer University Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies program sponsored by Pfeiffer University on Accreditation-Probation status until its next review in September 2024.
Probation accreditation is a temporary accreditation status initially of not less than two years. However, that period may be extended by the ARC-PA for up to an additional two years if the ARC-PA finds that the program is making substantial progress toward meeting all applicable standards but requires additional time to come into full compliance. Probation accreditation status is granted, at the sole discretion of the ARC-PA, when a program holding an accreditation status of Accreditation – Provisional or Accreditation – Continued does not, in the judgment of the ARC-PA, meet the Standards or when the capability of the program to provide an acceptable educational experience for its students is threatened.
Once placed on probation, a program that fails to comply with accreditation requirements in a timely manner, as specified by the ARC-PA, may be scheduled for a focused site visit and is subject to having its accreditation withdrawn.
Specific questions regarding the Program and its plans should be directed to the Program Director and/or the appropriate institutional official(s).
The program’s accreditation history can be viewed on the ARC-PA website at http://www.arc-pa.org/accreditation-history-pfeiffer-university/.
Clinical Anatomy and Radiology (5 SH)
Medical Physiology (2 SH)
Medical Interviewing, Counseling, and Documentation (3 SH)
Essentials of Medical Genetics (1 SH)
Medical Microbiology/Infectious Disease Part I (2 SH)
The Physician Assistant: Delivering Healthcare in America and Beyond (1 SH)
Epidemiology and Biostatistics: An Introduction to Clinical Research (1 SH)
Interprofessional Seminar I: Roles and Responsibilities (NC)
Pathophysiology of Disease I (2 SH)
Clinical Medicine I (6 SH)
Pharmacology I (2 SH)
Physical Diagnosis I (4 SH)
Clinical Laboratory and Diagnostics I (2 SH)
Evidence-Based Medicine I (2 SH)
Public Health: Principles, Policy, and Advocacy (1 SH)
Interprofessional Seminar II: Interprofessional Communication (NC)
Pathophysiology of Disease II (2 SH)
Clinical Medicine II (6 SH)
Pharmacology II (2 SH)
Physical Diagnosis II (4 SH)
Clinical Laboratory and Diagnostics II (2 SH)
Evidence-Based Medicine II (2 SH)
Cultural Issues in Healthcare (1 SH)
Interprofessional Seminar III: Teams and Teamwork (NC)
Clinical Medicine III (6 SH)
Advanced Clinical Pharmacotherapeutics (2 SH)
Clinical Skills and Procedures (4 SH)
Behavioral Medicine (2 SH)
Evidence-Based Medicine III (2 SH)
Ethics, Law and Social Justice in Medicine (1 SH)
Interprofessional Seminar IV: Ethics and Values (NC)
Clinical Rotation – Behavioral and Mental Health (5 SH)
Clinical Rotation – Emergency Medicine (5 SH)
Clinical Rotation – Family Medicine (5 SH)
Clinical Rotation – General Surgery (5 SH)
Clinical Rotation – Internal Medicine (5 SH)
Clinical Rotation – Pediatrics (5 SH)
Clinical Rotation – Women’s Health (5 SH)
Clinical Rotation – Orthopedics (5 SH)
Clinical Rotation – Elective (5 SH)