Program Mission, History, and Goals
Mission
Mission
The primary mission of the University of North Dakota Department of Physician Assistant Studies is to prepare selected students to become competent physician assistants working collaboratively within the health care team, emphasizing primary care in rural communities.
Vision
The vision of the University of North Dakota Physician Assistant Program is to strive for continued excellence in PA education while developing competent graduates to provide comprehensive quality health care to all. This will occur through innovation in teaching with technology and incorporating novel methods of simulation throughout the unique curriculum. This, combined with collaboration with clinical sites will enhance application of learning allowing the UND PA Program within the School of Medicine & Health Sciences to become the PA program of choice for both students and employers looking for primary care providers.
Core Values
- Education – foster critical thinking skills for the life-long learning of students, faculty and staff
- Innovation – commit to excellence by continual program assessment and improvement
- Commitment - demonstrate accountability to the student, program, institution and profession
- Professionalism – model ethical behavior and team-based collaboration with compassion, care and respect
Philosophy
The Departmental approach to education is based on the philosophy that students are highly motivated and each have unique personal and professional experiences. While the faculty and preceptor serve as catalysts, learning is the responsibility of the student. The interdisciplinary teaching approach integrates clinical skill and knowledge utilizing multiple techniques to facilitate learning. The goal is preparation of the student as a primary care provider in a variety of settings, utilizing a problem-oriented approach to logical thinking and sound judgment.
Furthermore, the Program faculty believes that physician assistants are accountable and responsible for the quality of their practice and for life-long learning to assure their ability to continually improve the care they deliver.
A unique characteristic of the UND PA Program is the completion of the majority of clinical experiences in the office of a practicing primary care provider. Students are assured experiences with common primary care conditions in a clinical practice setting. It is under the guidance and supervision of the preceptor in an individualized teaching relationship that the student gains clinical competencies and accomplishes role integration. This is closely monitored and augmented by the Program faculty.
Diversity Statement
The Department of PA Studies at UND values differences within and between groups of people and appreciates individuality that contributes to distinguishable variations in practices, beliefs, or traditions. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are woven into the curriculum as students prepare to become culturally responsive physician assistants providing inclusive and comprehensive quality health care to all.
History
The UND Physician Assistant Program was established in 1970 at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences in response to health workforce shortages and the lack of access to primary health care in rural communities. Initially, the Program was designed to build upon the existing clinical skills of independent duty medical corpsmen returning from the Vietnam conflict to prepare them for a role in civilian primary health care delivery. The Program adopted an adult learning, competency-based curriculum (MEDEX) developed by the University of Washington.
In 1972, the Program turned to experienced registered nurses for its applicant pool. The Program's goal was to expand and extend the role of RNs in community-oriented rural and underserved primary care practice settings. From then until January 2004, a Physician Assistant Certificate was given to all who successfully completed the 12-month Program. And from 1972 to 1992, those who qualified received dual certification as a Physician Assistant and a Family Nurse Practitioner.
In 2003, the Program joined the Department of Family Medicine and moved to a graduate-level program, offering a Master of Physician Assistant Studies. The length of the program progressed to 24 months to facilitate more instruction in basic sciences as the foundation of medical practice. In 2006, the Program expanded the applicant pool by accepting not only registered nurses, but experienced clinical health care professionals from other disciplines with the same philosophy to expand the health care role of those in rural and underserved communities.
In July 2014, the Physician Assistant Program became its own Department of Physician Assistant Studies. Currently, an admission structure has been implemented to include science majors with health care experience, in addition to licensed health care professionals. The educational model and content delivery methods remain the same throughout the 24-month curriculum, which include a combination of online coursework, classroom experiences on campus, and clinical experiences under the supervision of a physician or physician assistant in rural primary care.
In 2020, the program celebrated its 50th anniversary. To date, the Program has nearly 2000 graduates who are employed throughout the U.S. (including Hawaii, Alaska, and the Virgin Islands), Canada, and overseas.
Student Learning Goals
Data derived from the 2019-2023 graduate surveys. Response rate for the most recent graduate survey (2023 class) was 75.8%. The 5-year response rate for this survey (2019-2023 classes) was 68.4%.
Medical Knowledge; Patient Care; and Interpersonal and Communication Skills
Student Learning Goal 1: Integrate critical thinking skills with medical knowledge and patient care to provide entry-level primary health care services for a diverse population in a variety of settings.
Objective 1.1: Understand the basic sciences of anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, and pharmacology necessary to practice medicine as a physician assistant.
Objective 1.2: Assess the health status of individuals of all ages by obtaining a history and physical examination, recommending and interpreting diagnostic studies, diagnosing, and developing a management plan for primary care conditions.
Objective 1.3: Apply principles of health promotion and disease prevention to provide primary health care across the lifespan.
Objective 1.4: Provide counseling, patient education, interventions, and appropriate referral for the promotion, maintenance, and restoration of optimal levels of health for individuals of all ages, families, and communities.
Objective 1.5: Refine interpersonal and communication skills to result in effective information exchange with patients, families, and members of the professional healthcare team.
Professionalism
Student Learning Goal 2: Develop professional physician assistant/physician primary health care teams throughout the primary care curriculum.
Objective 2.1: Demonstrate a high level of responsibility and ethical practice while acknowledging professional and personal limitations.
Objective 2.2: Understand the importance of the team approach to health care and work closely with physician preceptors to develop trusting relationships and a strong medical practice ethic.
Practice-Based Learning & Improvement
Student Learning Goal 3: Engage in critical analysis of practice experience, medical literature, and informational resources for the enhancement of patient care outcomes and self-improvement.
Objective 3.1: Gain a basic understanding of research methods and statistical analysis to improve comprehension of medical research studies and incorporate findings into clinical practice.
Objective 3.2: Self-assess gaps in medical knowledge, inherent population bias awareness, and physical limitations to increase self-improvement.
Systems-Based Practice
Student Learning Goal 4: Prepare physician assistants who will serve the societal, organizational, and economic environments as healthcare advocates and role models for future physician assistant students as well as members of the professional healthcare team.
Objective 4.1: Maintain awareness of and responsiveness to ethical issues, patient safety, and the larger system of health care to provide optimal value to patient care.
Objective 4.2: Advance professional role identity and accountability as a PA developing leadership skills and responsibility to serve as PA mentors within the profession.
Program Goals
- Provide a comprehensive academic and clinical educational experience for students
and achieve first-time PANCE scores at or above the national average and aggregate
scores at 100%.
- Evaluation of student, preceptor, graduate, and employer survey data in competency areas of medical knowledge, patient care, interpersonal and communication skills, and professionalism (see chart below for Classes of 2019-2023).
- Students have a comprehensive clinical experience as evidenced by individual and cumulative review of case and time log data to include patient types, setting types, and systems. This includes, but is not limited to: preventative, emergent, acute and chronic patient encounters; pediatric, adult and geriatric ages; outpatient, emergency department, inpatient and operating room settings.
- Critical Step Exam Scores (Classes of 2019-2023):
- Comprehensive Objective Exam Score: 86.55%
- PANCE Pass rate (first time / aggregate Classes of 2019-2023): 90%/98% (Five-Year National First Time Taker Average: 93%)
- Graduation Rate (Classes of 2019-2023):
- Graduation Rate (past 5 years): 88.4%
- Attrition Rate (past 5 years): 11.6%
| Student Self Assessments | Student Self Assessments | Preceptor Evaluation | Graduate Survey* | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9-month | Graduation | Average | Assessed after 1 year | |
| Medical Knowledge |
3.04 |
4.0 | 4.12 | 4.26 |
| Patient Care | 3.13 | 4.23 | 4.24 | 4.29 |
| Interpersonal & Communication Skills | 3.90 | 4.71 | 4.61 | 4.22 |
| Professionalism | 4.16 | 4.71 | 4.59 | 4.47 |
| Practice-based Learning | na | na | na | 4.18 |
| Systems-based Practice | na | na | na | 4.25 |
*Graduate survey 5-year response rate: 68.4%
- Prepare graduates to be lifelong learners in clinical medicine.
- Scholarly Project (Classes of 2019-2023)
- Completion (past 5 years): 100%
- Average Score (past 5 years): 95.8%
- Students gain a basic understanding of research methods and statistical analysis to improve comprehension of medical research studies and incorporate findings into clinical practice. Average scores from graduate survey data (Classes of 2019-2023): 06
- Student Attendance at the North Dakota Academy of Physician Assistant Conference
- Each year students attend the North Dakota Academy of Physician Assistant Conference.
- Each year seven to eight students of the graduating class are selected to present their scholarly project posters at the conference.
- Scholarly Project (Classes of 2019-2023)
- Prepare students to be active members of the profession.
- Student members of AAPA and NDAPA
- Encouraged to be part of AAPA and home state’s APA after graduation.
- 69.6% of graduates from the class of 2023 are members of AAPA.
- 47.8% of graduates from the class of 2023 are members of their respective state’s APA.
- Students attend the NDAPA Conference and Annual meeting
- 100% of students participate in community service projects
- Leadership training as a part of professionalism coursework
- Prepare students to become culturally responsive physician assistants providing inclusive
and comprehensive quality health care to all.
- Didactic and Clinical curriculum emphasize providing inclusive and comprehensive quality health care to all
- 100% of students participate in implicit bias training
- Students felt the program prepared them to be culturally responsive PAs able to provide inclusive and comprehensive quality healthcare to all. Score from graduate survey (Class of 2023): 4.58
- Prepare graduates to meet primary care workforce needs.
- 32-35 weeks of supervised clinical practice experiences in primary care settings
- 100% of students have rotations in rural or underserved clinical settings
- Graduates in the past 5 years practicing in primary care: 4%
- Graduates in the past 5 years practicing in rural areas: 0%
- Graduates in the past 5 years practicing in underserved areas: 40.3%
Program Outcomes
Competencies for the PA Profession was created from a collaborate effort among the four national PA organizations (PAEA, NCCPA, ARC-PA, and AAPA). The document defines the knowledge, skills, and professional attitudes required for physician assistant practice. The UND PA Program has adopted these competencies as program outcomes to set the tone for what is required of students upon completion of the program as they prepare to enter clinical practice.
UND DPAS Program Competencies
- Medical Knowledge
- Understand the principles of basic and clinical sciences and their application to clinical practice.
- Clinical Reasoning and Problem Solving
- Apply the principles of basic and clinical sciences to diagnose disease and utilize therapeutic decision-making, clinical problem-solving, and other evidence-based practice skills.
- Recognize when to refer patients to other disciplines to ensure that patients receive optimal care at the appropriate time and level.
- Interpersonal Skills
- Demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills that result in effective information exchange with patients, families, and healthcare team members.
- Establish rapport with patients and families to build meaningful therapeutic relationships.
- Clinical and Technical Skills
- Assess the health status of individuals of all ages by obtaining an appropriate history and physical examination, recommending and interpreting diagnostic studies, formulating differential diagnoses, developing a management plan, and accurately documenting the medical information.
- Perform procedures and clinical skills considered essential for entry into PA practice.
- Professional Behaviors
- Demonstrate responsible and ethical patient care.
- Acknowledge and address professional and personal limitations.
- Demonstrate sensitivity and responsiveness to diverse patient populations.
- Demonstrate commitment to lifelong learning.