Physician Assistant Studies (MS)

Department website: https://www.pcom.edu/academics/programs-and-degrees/physician-assistant-studies/georgia.html

PCOM offers a full-time 26-month graduate-level program in physician assistant studies.

The program provides a comprehensive didactic and laboratory year followed by a year of clinical preceptorships in a variety of clinical disciplines. All students complete a research practicum as part of the program.

The PCOM Physician Assistant Program is committed to excellence in education. As in any learning process, the content and methodology in our program reflect a mixture of objectivity, intuition and good faith. Our faculty and staff want to provide a creative environment for individual learning and growth, within a curriculum which, by necessity, is highly structured and intense. Viewing learning as a reciprocal, collaborative interaction between faculty and students, we endeavor to be responsive to perceived needs for change and welcome comments and suggestions from all who participate in the program for its ongoing evaluation and continued growth.

Graduation Requirements

Each candidate for the degree of Master of Science must achieve a GPA of 3.0 to graduate from the program and satisfactorily complete all degree requirements.

Degree Requirements

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Term 1Hours
PHYA 502G Human Gross Anatomy 6
PHYA 519G Human Physiology 4
 Hours10
Term 2
INDP 100G Inter Professional Approach to Caring for the Communities 0
PHYA 501G Pharmacologic Concepts and Pharmacotherapeutics 2
PHYA 503G History Taking and Physical Exam 10
PHYA 514G Professional Practice Issues and Health Policy 2
PHYA 531G Community Health Service 2
PHYA 534G Introduction to Pathogenesis and Clinical Genetics 1
PHYA 542G Research Methods 1
 Hours18
Term 3
INDP 100G Inter Professional Approach to Caring for the Communities 0
PHYA 510G Clinical Medicine I 10
PHYA 515G Medicine, Law, and Health Care Ethics 1
PHYA 520G Pharmacology 2
PHYA 535G Pathology I 2
PHYA 543G Evidenced-Based Medicine 2
 Hours17
Term 4
INDP 100G Inter Professional Approach to Caring for the Communities 0
PHYA 511G Clinical Medicine II 10
PHYA 521G Pharmacology II 2
PHYA 536G Pathology II 2
PHYA 549G Radiology for the Physician Assistant 2
 Hours16
Second Year
Term 1
PHYA 512G Clinical Medicine III 10
PHYA 522G Pharmacology III 1
PHYA 530G Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry 1
 Hours12
Term 2
Term 2 through Term 4 (Fall, Winter, and Spring) Preceptorships
PHYA 550G Family Medicine Preceptorship 10
PHYA 551G Internal Medicine Preceptorship 10
PHYA 553G Emergency Medicine Preceptorship 10
PHYA 554G Gynecology/Prenatal Preceptorship 10
PHYA 555G General Surgery Preceptorship 10
PHYA 556G Behavioral Medicine Preceptorship 10
PHYA 557G Pediatrics Preceptorship 10
 Hours70
Third Year
Term 1
PHYA 558G Elective Preceptorship 6
PHYA 560G Research Practicum 2
PHYA 562G Comprehensive Exam Review 3
 Hours11
 Total Hours154
1

All first and second year courses must be completed prior to beginning clinical preceptorships.