Master of Physician Assistant Studies

Nadine and Tom Craddick Physician Assistant Studies Program

Welcome

Welcome to the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Nadine and Tom Craddick Physician Assistant Studies Program! Our 27-month professional curriculum consists of 125 semester-equivalent credit hours of academic and clinical education. The first 15 months are dedicated to didactic coursework at the Midland campus, followed by the 12-month clinical phase.

The program is competency-based, and graduation requires demonstrating proficiency in the following competencies:

1. MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE: Demonstrate knowledge and application of established and evolving biomedical, clinical, epidemiological, and social-behavioral sciences.

1. Apply principles of basic science to patient care.
2. Apply epidemiological principles to aid in diagnosis and treatment.
3. Apply principles of the clinical sciences to the differential diagnosis and treatment of diseases.
4. Apply clinical science principles to diagnostic and therapeutic decision-making.
5. Differentiate between acute, chronic and emergent disease states.
6. Facilitate inclusion of evidence-based medical practice by locating, appraising, and assimilating peer-reviewed information into solutions for novel health problems and presentations.

​2. CLINICAL AND TECHNICAL SKILLS: Demonstrate ability to perform the skills needed to adequately address the patient’s presenting complaints and humanistic needs.

1. Compile essential and accurate information about patients using history, physical exam, laboratory data, imaging, and other diagnostic tests.
2. Interpret laboratory data, imaging, and other tests used in primary care.
3. Demonstrate patient care that is age-appropriate, patient-centered, safe, effective, and efficient.
4. Perform medical and diagnostic procedures considered essential for a primary care PA.
5. Formulate informed diagnostic and treatment decisions using the following: patient information, patient preference, up-to-date scientific evidence, and clinical judgement.
6. Develop patient management plans, including counseling, education, appropriate referral, follow-up, and preventive surveillance.
7. Recognize when and why to use telehealth, and effectively use it to communicate with patients and interprofessional teams to both transmit and receive information effectively in a professional and patient-centered way.

​3. INTERPERSONAL AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS: Demonstrate interpsersonal and communication skills that result in the effective exchange of information and collaboration with patients, their families, and other health professionals.

1. Communicate effectively with other members of the healthcare team to establish and enhance interprofessional teams.
2. Demonstrate sensitivity, honesty, and compassion in difficult conversations.
3. Develop patient-centered communication skills to establish therapeutic relationships in clinical encounters.
4. Maintain comprehensive, timely, and legible medical records.

​4.PROFESSIONALISM: Demonstrate a commitment to carrying out professional responsibilities and an adherence to ethical principles.

1. Demonstrate compassion, integrity, and respect for others.
2. Demonstrates sensitivity and openness to all patients across a range of clinical and personal circumstances.
3. Demonstrates both a commitment to ethical principles and knowledge of Texas laws and regulatory requirements for PAs.
4. Develops healthy coping mechanisms to respond to stress and mitigate burnout.
5. Understand the PA’s role in the reduction of stigma toward vulnerable patient populations suffering from stigmatized disease states.

​5.HEALTH SYSTEMS AND COMMUNITY-BASED CARE: Demonstrate an understanding of the healthcare system and the effective use of available resources to support patient care. Apply knowledge of community-based services, practice setting limitations, and referral pathways to optimize clinical outcomes.

1. Design patient care plans that incorporate relevant patient circumstances, available community resources, and population-level health considerations.
2. Identify healthcare factors that may affect patient access, adherence and outcomes, and demonstrate professional self-reflection to support consistent, ethical clinical decision making.
3. Coordinate patient care effectively within the healthcare system, including referrals, follow-up, and interprofessional collaboration.
4. Incorporate cost-awareness and risk-benefit analysis in patient care decisions
5. Demonstrate the physician assistants’ value-add to the healthcare team, including the collaborative physician/PA relationship.

​6. CLINICAL REASONING AND PROBLEM SOLVING: Demonstrate the ability to investigate and evaluate the care of patients, to appraise and assimilate scientific evidence, and to continuously improve patient care based on self-evaluation and lifelong learning.

1. Demonstrate an investigatory and analytical approach to clinical situations.
2. Demonstrate critical thinking in the evaluation of clinical problems.
3. Appraise one’s performance during clinical encounters through reflective practice to improve clinical decision-making and modify behaviors that negatively affect patient care.
4. Incorporate feedback into daily practice.

Upon successful completion, you will earn a Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) degree and be eligible to sit for the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) PANCE exam.

This handbook will guide you throughout your 27-month journey in the PA program. You are responsible for reading and understanding this document, as your performance evaluations will reflect your adherence to these policies. Periodic updates may be made, and efforts will be made to keep you informed. Additionally, the School of Health Professions and the University regularly update their policies, which are available online.

Your education will be rigorous, requiring didactic and clinical coursework beyond typical undergraduate expectations. Upon entering the program, you will transition to being a professional graduate student responsible for developing professional attitudes and clinical judgment. The faculty and staff are dedicated to supporting your academic success, professional development, and clinical training as you work toward becoming a Physician Assistant.

Acknowledgment of Receipt

The Student Handbook is an important document intended to assist MPAS students in familiarizing themselves with all institutional, school, and program policies. The provisions of this Handbook do not constitute a contract, express or implied, between any student or faculty member and the system, institution, school, department, or program.

The University is responsible for maintaining order within the University community and disciplining those who violate its standards, rules, and/or policies. Enrollment requires students to share this responsibility. Students agree to abide by the standards, regulations, and/or policies outlined in this Student Handbook, the TTUHSC Student Handbook Code of Professional Conduct, all TTUHSC Operating Policies and Procedures, and the individual Schools’ catalogs and any other official University publications. All University, School, and PA program Policies apply to all students, principal faculty, and the program director regardless of location.

The contents of this handbook may be changed at any time at the discretion of the Department and Program. The Department and Program maintain their rights and prerogative to make and change policies as necessary and without prior notice. The most current edition of this publication will be available on the School of Health Professions website. The Handbook supersedes all previous editions. Students are responsible for periodically accessing any revisions to the publications online.

All students in the Physician Assistant Program are required to sign a statement acknowledging their responsibility to read and familiarize themselves with the Student Handbook.