PHASE IV (16 WEEKS)

GSPA 729-01 Adult Clinical Medicine II (6 credits)
This is the second of a two series foundational adult medicine course. It will involve an intensive study of various medical conditions which are essential to the practice of primary care medicine. Utilizing an organ system based approach; each specific organ section will include lectures outlining the prevalence, signs, symptoms, diagnostic assessment and treatment of diseases listed in the 2019 NCCPA organ section topic list.

The sequencing of the body organ units for Adult Medicine II are: Gastrointestinal, Hepato-renal disease, male and female genitourinary, musculoskeletal, Rheumatology, Neurology, Woman’s health, HIV/Infectious Disease and Immunology, ICU medicine and Emergency Medicine, General Surgery, and Orthopedics.

GSPA 738-01 Pediatric Clinical Medicine II (3 credits)
Pediatric Clinical Medicine II will build on the concepts introduced in Pediatric Clinical Medicine I. The digestive system, infectious disease, nephrology and urology, orthopedics, rheumatic diseases of childhood, hematology and oncology will be discussed as well as medications used in pediatric practice, their indications, contraindications, and dosage in relation to specific disorders. Nutrition, immunization, and healthy lifestyle will be stressed for each stage of adolescent development.

GSPA741-01 Clinical Skills II (2 credits)
This is the second of a two-part course introducing basic surgical and procedural skills pertinent to PA practice. Clinical correlation and refinement of skills previously learned in Clinical Skills I will also be taught. Procedural and additional technical skills instruction will include, lectures, live demonstration, and skills development stations.

GSPA 722-01 Patient Communication Skills II (2 credits)
This pivotal course will provide the student with the essential tools to develop confidence in their clinical assessment ability. Refining history taking skills for various encounters will allow students to begin to integrate their foundational course work to develop an approach for a focused clinical encounter. Patient education and various challenging patient encounters will allow students to practice their communication skills in preparation for clinical rotations. The goal is to apply and to integrate their medical knowledge into an appropriate differential diagnosis and subsequently determine the most likely diagnosis. Comprehensive care plans will be reviewed and revised to better equip each student with tools to address health literacy and cofounding issues. Patient education and prevention will be stressed during treatment care plans.

GSPA 731-01 Physical Exam Skills (2 credits)
This sequenced course is designed to integrate the student’s previous physical assessment skills with the goal of developing competencies with specialty and focused physical exam assessment skills. Weekly specialty exams will be reviewed with complimentary written and presentation practice skills assigned. Several standardized focused patient encounters will re-enforce clinical interviewing and physical exam skills to prepare each student for success in the clinical year. Students will be instructed and required to adequately document the physical examination as part of the medical record. This course will challenge the student to integrate the skills learned in PESI and take them to higher complexity levels. Didactic lecture, small-group practice and discussion, and team-based learning approaches will be utilized.

GSPA 732-01 Geriatrics (2 credits)
The Geriatrics course focuses on an interprofessional team approach to complex issues related to aging. Instruction will span the basic sciences, clinical acumen, and profound socio-economic issues for our society. The course is intended to help the PA student understand the critical issues of aging, and the importance of team-based health care for geriatric patients in various settings. Nutrition, preventative health care, adaptations of ADLs for the geriatric patient will be stressed.