MICHELE KAUFFMAN, J.D., MPAS, PA-C., Chairperson, Professor
JOHN JAGEMAN, M.D., Medical Director
CATHERINE GILLESPIE, DHSc, MPAS, PA-C, Associate Director, Associate Professor
KIMBERLY CAVANAGH, MPAS, PA-C, Clinical Coordinator, Assistant Professor
HOLLY JODON, MPAS, PA-C, Assistant Professor
CAROLYN E. KNOX, M.S., PA-C, Clinical Coordinator, Assistant Professor
THOMAS SERENA, M.D., F.A.C.S., Research Coordinator
Physician Assistants are skilled, dependent health practitioners who are academically and
clinically prepared to provide patient care services under the supervision of a physician. Their
specific tasks vary widely due to differences among state laws, hospital policies and
utilization preferences of supervising physicians.
Generally, PAs are qualified to obtain patient histories, perform comprehensive physical
examinations, order and interpret diagnostic laboratory tests, prepare a diagnosis, implement
a treatment plan for common illnesses, deliver patient education and counseling, perform
certain surgical procedures, and provide emergency care. PAs may assist in surgery and
deliver pre-operative and post-operative care. Physician Assistants may deliver patient care in
any setting in which the physician works.
The Physician Assistant Department offers a Master of Physician Assistant Science degree
following five years of increasingly specialized study. The curriculum is predominantly
clinical during the fifth year. During the fifth year, clinical faculty, in conjunction with various
health care institutions, introduce the students to professional physician assistant training.
The program is offered primarily in clinical sites in northwestern Pennsylvania, Ohio and
western New York, as well as some locations farther afield. Students are responsible for their
own housing and transportation to and from clinical sites.
The professional phase of Gannon University's Physician Assistant Program is accredited by
the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc.
Applicants must meet the technical standards for admission to the program. For further
details, contact the Admissions office.
Technical Standards
A candidate for admission to the PA Program must have the use of certain sensory and motor
functions to permit them to carry out the activities described in the sections that follow.
Graduation from the program signifies that the individual is prepared for entry into clinical
practice or into postgraduate training programs. Therefore, it follows that graduates must
have the knowledge and skills needed to function in a broad variety of clinical situations and
to render a wide spectrum of diagnostic and therapeutic care. The candidate and student
must be able consistently, quickly, and accurately to integrate all information received by
whatever sense(s) are employed. Also, they must have the intellectual ability to learn,
integrate, analyze, and synthesize data.
A candidate for the PA Program ordinarily must have the following abilities and skills as
explained below: observation; communication; motor; intellectual, conceptual, integrative,
and quantitative; and behavioral and social. Where technological assistance is available in the
program, it may permit for disabilities in certain areas. Under all circumstances, a candidate
should be able to perform the following tasks in a reasonably independent manner:
I. Observation: Candidates and students ordinarily must have sufficient vision to be able to
observe demonstrations, experiments, and laboratory exercises. They must be able to
observe a patient accurately at a distance and close at hand.
II. Communication: Candidates and students ordinarily must be able to communicate with
patients and colleagues. They should be able to hear, but if technological compensation is
available, it may permit for some handicaps in this area. Candidates and students must be
able to read, write, and speak English.
III. Motor: Candidates and students ordinarily should have sufficient motor function such that
they are able to execute movements reasonably required to provide general care and
emergency treatment to patients. Examples of emergency treatment reasonably required
of physician assistants is cardiopulmonary resuscitation, administration of intravenous
medication, the application of pressure to stop bleeding, the opening of obstructed
airways, the suturing of simple wounds, and the performance of simple obstetrical
maneuvers. These actions require coordination of both gross and fine muscular
movements, equilibrium, and functional use of the senses of touch and vision.
IV. Intellectual, Conceptual, Integrative, and Quantitative Abilities: These abilities include
measurement, calculation, reasoning, analysis, and synthesis. Problem solving, the critical
intellectual skill demanded of a physician assistant, requires all of these intellectual
abilities. In addition, candidates and students should be able to comprehend three-
dimensional relationships and understand the spatial relationships of structures.
V. Behavioral and Social Abilities: Candidates and students must possess the emotional health
required for full utilization of the intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgment, the
prompt completion of all responsibilities attendant to the assessment and care of patients,
and the development of mature, sensitive, and effective relationships with patients.
Candidates and students must be able to tolerate physically taxing workloads, adapt to
changing environments, display flexibility, and learn to function in the face of
uncertainties inherent in the clinical problems of many patients. Compassion, integrity,
concern for others, interpersonal skills, interest, and motivation are all personal qualities
to be assessed during the admissions and educational processes.
The PA Department is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to students with
an identifiable disability as defined by the Americans with Disability Act. In doing so,
however, the PA Department must maintain the integrity of its curriculum and preserve those
elements deemed essential to educating candidates to become effective physician assistants.
Employment Policy
Employment during the fourth year of the PA Program is not recommended. Demanding
courses and time constraints are to be expected. Employment during the fifth year of the PA
Program is strongly discouraged. Students will spend an average of 40 hours per week at
their clinical site, plus complete reading assignments to prepare for end of rotation exams.
Students may need to relocate every six weeks, precluding steady employment. Students who
choose to work may jeopardize performance and continuation in the program.
Transfer Policies
- Transfer students are accepted on a space availability basis at all levels of the
preprofessional phase of the program.
- Students should apply through the Office of Admissions and request transfer status. Course
descriptions must accompany the student's transcripts for courses the student would like to
transfer into the program. Courses for transfer must be approved by the Department Chair
and Associate Dean. Students accepted into the program will receive a written evaluation of
their transcripts showing which courses were accepted into the program.
- To be considered for transfer into the program, a student must have at least a 3.0 overall
GPA and a 3.0 in their science courses.
- Transfer students must repeat any science course which was taken longer than five years
prior to program admission.
- Once matriculated into the program, Program GPA's of 3.0 must be maintained
throughout the program as well as an overall GPA of 3.0
- 30 hours of volunteer/paid patient contact must be completed as part of the Introduction
to Physical Assistant Profession course.
- Transfer students must complete the course of study (found in this catalog) for the
Physician Assistant Program.
- Personal interview is required.
- Upon matriculation, transfer students will receive a program handbook detailing the
program's policies and procedures.
- Transfer students with a Bachelor's Degree should refer to Gannon's Graduate Catalog for
prerequisite courses needed prior to application to the 2 year Post Baccalaureate program.
All prerequisite courses are offered at Gannon University.
- Advanced standing is not granted in the graduate phase of the program. No credits are
awarded for experiential learning.
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS:
PHAS 111: Seminar: Introduction to the Physician Assistant Profession
1 credit, Fall
An introduction to the health professions; physician assistant and medical care; scope of
practice and responsibilities; and relationships with other health professionals.
Prerequisite: PA major
PHAS 121: Medical Terminology
3 credits, Fall/Spring
This course provides students with an introductory study of the medical language through
prefix, suffix and root word forms. Anatomic and clinical terms pertaining to each body
system are covered. Classroom activities emphasize pronunciation, interpretation and
application of medical terms.
Prerequisite: PA major
PHAS 215: Communication and Resources in the Patient Encounter
1 credit, Spring
This course is designed to introduce the students to communication skills in the patient
encounter for the Physician Assistant, including boundaries of the interview, ethical
professional behavior and establishing a provider/patient relationship. Emphasis will be
placed on the interviewing process and communication techniques. This course will focus on
communication skills with patients in various settings and exposure to resources available to
assist in health care and special needs of patients to prepare the student for service-learning
experiences.
Prerequisite: PA major
PHAS 312: Community Resources in Healthcare: A Service Learning Experience
1 credit, Fall, Spring
The goal of this course is to introduce the student to community service-learning through
student/client experience in various health care/social service agencies within the Gannon
and Erie community. Collectively each student's experience will provide a model resource of
agencies available to communities and how each agency assists in the care of the patient.
Prerequisite: PA major
PHAS 363: Research Process
3 credits, Fall
The primary goal of this course is for students to be comfortable with all aspects of clinical
research in the Health Sciences field. The class will first concentrate on choosing a research
topic, which is relevant and will contribute to the medical literature. Students are directed to
choose topics which interest them. We will then proceed in a step-by-step fashion from idea to
finished work. We will concentrate heavily on the practical knowledge required to produce a
quality research project. It is also our goal for students to learn to objectively evaluate a
clinical research study. At the end of the semester the student should be able to draft a
publishable research project. He or she should feel confident presenting this work to his or
her peers and faculty. Students will present a five-minute power point presentation on a
research topic.
Prerequisite: PA major
PHAS 411: Physical Diagnosis I
5 credits, Fall
The techniques of history-taking, discussion and demonstration of normal physical findings
with various organ systems and alteration of physical signs in disease states are introduced to
the student. The relationship of physical signs to altered physiology is emphasized.
Prerequisite: PA major
PHAS 413: Physical Diagnosis II
1 credit, Fall
Designed to complement the physical diagnosis lectures, this course enables students to
develop skills in performing histories and physical examinations on fellow students.
Prerequisite: PA major
PHAS 414: Medical Lecture Series I
3 credits, Fall
Symptoms, signs and abnormal body function are taught in a problem-oriented manner,
including a logical method, relevant diagnostic maneuvers, possible therapeutic intervention
and patient education. The lectures complement the knowledge acquired in Physical
Diagnosis, and is correlated with the Pharmacotherapeutics and Laboratory Diagnosis courses.
Prerequisite: PA major
PHAS 415: Medical Lecture Series II
6 credits, Spring
A continuation of PHAS 414
Prerequisite: PHAS 414
PHAS 416: Physical Diagnosis III
1 credit, Spring
In addition to performing histories and physical examination on hospitalized or nursing
home patients, the student is exposed to a wide variety of frequently encountered medical
problems and begins to develop a basic understanding of pathophysiology. In addition the
student will develop a methodology for approaching any presenting medical complaint.
Prerequisites: PHAS 411, 413
PHAS 424: Pharmacotherapeutics I
3 credits, Fall
This course is designed to provide both basic information regarding the pharmacology of
many commonly used medications coupled with a practical and systematic approach to the
selection of appropriate drug therapy for patients. Two major areas of focus are a review of
the principles of therapeutics (e.g., pharmaco-kinetics and pharmacodynamics) and a review
of recommended drug therapy for common medical disorders (e.g., hypertension, peptic ulcer
disease). Students will be instructed on a process through which they will think
pharmacotherapeutically - that is, to identify a disease, review the drugs available to treat that
disease, select treatment based upon goals of therapy and specific patient parameters and
how to adjust therapy if required. Also, all lectures are coordinated with Medical Lecture
Series such that medications are reviewed in close proximity to lectures on pathophysiology
in order to enhance the learning experience for students.
Prerequisite: PA major
PHAS 425: Pharmacotherapeutics II
3 credits, Spring
A continuation of PHAS 424
Prerequisite: PHAS 424
PHAS 431: GPHAS 531: Clinical Science I
3 credits, Fall
This course is designed to provide a basic understanding of the pathophysiology and clinical
diagnostic methods involved in the evaluation of common disease processes. Emphasis is
placed on understanding molecular structure and function as it applies to application and
interpretation of clinical testing for diagnostic/therapeutic purposes. Topics include
hematology, immunology & serology, medical microbiology, virology, clinical chemistry, urine
studies and pertinent genetic testing. Lectures correlate with Physical Diagnosis I & II,
Medical Lecture Series I, Pharmacology I and Radiology in a systems oriented approach to the
disease processes.
Prerequisite: PA major
PHAS 432: GPHAS 532: Clinical Science II
2 credits, Spring
A continuation of PHAS 431 / GPHAS 531, this course is designed to provide a basic
understanding of the pathophysiology and clinical diagnostic methods involved in the
evaluation of common disease processes discussed in Medical Lecture Series II and
Pharmacology II. Topics continue from Clinical Science I and include parasitology, arterial
blood gas interpretation, electrocardiography interpretation and fluid, electrolyte & acid-base
balance.
Prerequisite: PHAS 431
PHAS 438: Pediatrics/Obstetrics/Gynecology Lecture Series
4 credits, Spring
This course will discuss common disease process in Obstetrics/Gynecology and Pediatrics in
a problem oriented manner to enable the student to incorporate knowledge of pathogenesis,
clinical findings, appropriate laboratory and diagnostic testing and create a treatment plan for
each disease process.
Prerequisite: PHAS 414
PHAS 443: Research Proposal
1 credit, Spring
Students distinguish between different types of research and systematically examine research
designs and methodologies for the purpose of development of a proposal. Students will
develop a research proposal under the direction of a research advisor.
Prerequisite: PA major
PHAS 445: Problem Based Medicine
2 credits, Spring
This course offers the student an introduction to evidence based medicine. Emphasis will be
placed on clinical problem solving through a case study approach. The student will be
instructed to incorporate knowledge of pathogenesis, clinical findings, laboratory and other
diagnostics to develop a differential diagnosis. This approach is designed to initiate critical
thinking about medical problems and incorporation of treatment plans.
Prerequisite: PHAS 414
PHAS 490: Special Topics
3 credits
This is an elective course which will cover topics of special interest.
GPHAS 601: Prerotation Lectures Series
5 credits, Summer
This capstone course is designed to complement and integrate the Liberal Studies academic
experience and didactics of the pre professional phase of the Physician Assistant Program.
Students are expected to demonstrate their capacity to utilize concepts and methodologies
presented in previous Liberal Studies courses as we explore the issues related to medical
ethics. Issues explored will include but not be limited to the patient and health care provider
relationship, human experimentation, reproductive and dying technology. Topics in the areas
of Emergency Medicine, Orthopedics, and Surgery will be discussed utilizing the foundation
of information previously presented in the didactic pre-professional phase. Workshops will
supplement many of the lectures and afford students hands-on opportunities to practice
clinical skills such as IVs, venipunctures, casting and suturing.
Prerequisite: PHAS 415
GPHAS 602: Business Practices and Current Issues for Physician Assistants
2 credit, Summer
This course is designed to introduce the Physician Assistant student to practice management
in the clinical setting. Emphasis is placed on understanding health insurance coverage, cost
containment and the quality of health care. Diagnosis and procedure coding will be
introduced and legal issues related to the clinical setting are addressed.
Prerequisite: PA major
GPHAS 614: General Surgery Rotation
5 credits
This six week clinical experience is designed to allow the student exposure to a wide variety
of acute surgical problems. Under supervision, the student is expected to participate in
preoperative and postoperative patient care. This experience will include taking histories,
performing physical examinations, and assisting in the emergency department and operating
room.
Prerequisites: Successful completion of the senior year clinical and didactic courses.
GPHAS 616: Clinical Research
4 credits
This is a four week rotation in which students participate in medical research under the
direction of a preceptor or develop a community health project. This project may involve
reviewing charts, interviewing patients, reviewing existing data, collecting data and/or
participating in ongoing clinical trials or educating the public. Students are required to
complete a project outline and will begin to compose a research or project paper of publishable
quality. The students will develop a power point presentation in order to illustrate their
research or project.
Prerequisites: Successful completion of the senior year clinical and didactic courses.
GPHAS 617: Family Medicine Rotation I
5 credits
This six week clinical experience is designed to familiarize the student with all aspects of
Family Practice in ambulatory, inpatient and long-term care settings. The student, through the
collection and acquisition of historical, physical and laboratory data, develops an
understanding of patient evaluation and treatment under the supervision of physicians or
mid-level practitioners. This clinical rotation will emphasize aspects of Internal Medicine and
the unique characteristics of the care of the geriatric patient.
Prerequisites: Successful completion of the senior year clinical and didactic courses.
GPHAS 618: Family Medicine Rotation II
5 credits
This six week clinical experience is designed to familiarize the student with all aspects of
Family Practice in ambulatory, inpatient and long-term care settings. The student, through the
collection and acquisition of historical, physical and laboratory data, develops an
understanding of patient evaluation and treatment under the supervision of physicians or
mid-level practitioners.This clinical rotation will emphasize normal variations of growth and
development of children from infancy to adolescence, as well as, exposure to acute and
chronic illnesses of childhood.
Prerequisites: Successful completion of the senior year clinical and didactic courses.
GPHAS 619: Family Medicine Rotation III
5 credits
This six week clinical experience is designed to familiarize the student with all aspects of
Family Practice in ambulatory, inpatient and long-term care settings. The student, through the
collection and acquisition of historical, physical and laboratory data, develops an
understanding of patient evaluation and treatment under the supervision of physicians or
mid-level practitioners. This clinical rotation will emphasize routine gynecologic care and
common complaints as well as prenatal care of the female patient. This experience will also
focus on common behavioral health disorders encountered in primary care.
Prerequisites: Successful completion of the senior year clinical and didactic courses.
GPHAS 621: Emergency Medicine Rotation
5 credits
This six week clinical experience is designed to stress the evaluation and management of both
medical and surgical problems of the ambulatory patient in an acute care situation. Students
gain experience in the initial evaluation of patients in the emergency setting, perform problem
specific examinations, practice minor surgery skills, and participate in the management of
orthopedic problems.
Prerequisites: Successful completion of the senior year clinical and didactic courses.
GPHAS 622: Family Medicine Rotation IV
5 credits
This six week clinical experience is designed to familiarize the student with all aspects of
Family Practice in ambulatory, inpatient and long-term care settings. The student, through the
collection and acquisition of historical, physical and laboratory data, develops an
understanding of patient evaluation and treatment under the supervision of physicians or
mid-level practitioners. This clinical rotation will emphasize the evaluation and treatment of
conditions common at the primary care level and the appropriate health maintenance
measures for different age groups from infancy to geriatrics.
Prerequisites: Successful completion of the senior year clinical and didactic courses.
GPHAS 623: Elective Rotation I
5 credits
This six week clinical experience is designed to acquaint the student with the role of the
physician assistant in practice. Students train under the supervision of a physician or mid-
level provider in an office/or hospital setting. Through this clinical rotation the student will
gain an in-depth exposure to a wide-spectrum of acute and chronic patient problems. This
experience can occur in a clinical area that has already been experienced by the student or a
specialty area of the student's choosing.
Prerequisites: Successful completion of the senior year clinical and didactic courses.
GPHAS 624: Elective Rotation II
5 credits
This six week clinical experience is designed to acquaint the student with the role of the
physician assistant in practice. Students train under the supervision of a physician or mid-
level provider in an office/or hospital setting. Through this clinical rotation the student will
gain an in-depth exposure to a wide-spectrum of acute and chronic patient problems. This
experience can occur in a clinical area that has already been experienced by the student or a
specialty area of the student's choosing.
Prerequisites: Successful completion of the senior year clinical and didactic courses.
GPHAS 631: Research/Project Guidance
2 credits
Students complete a research project (including analysis of data and reporting results) using the
scientific method to answer a question in clinical practice, under the direction of a research/
project advisor. Projects may use a variety of methodologies. Students will finalize a power
point presentation and/or poster for presentation or display.
Master of Physician Assistant Science Curriculum
Liberal Studies/Core of Discovery Courses
3 LENG 111 College Composition
3 LENG 112 CriticalAnalysis & Composition
3 LENG Literature Series
3 LTHE 121 Sacred Scriptures
3 LTHE Theology II Series
3 LPHI 131 Intro to Philosophy
3 LPHI Philosophy II Series
3 LTHE/LPHI Theo/Phil III Series
3 LFIN Fine Art Series
3 LHST 111 Hist of the West & the World
3 PSYC 111 Intro to Psychology
3 SOCI 110 Basic Sociology
36 Total
Other Courses
3 CIS 170-173 or CIS 150 PC Courses or Business Technology I
3 PSYC 211, SOCI 351 or MATH 213 Statistics
3 Elective
3 Elective
12 Total
Basic Science Courses
3 BIOL 122 Molecular Cellular Biology
1 BIOL 123 Molecular Cellular Biology Lab
3 BIOL 124 Animal Form & Function
1 BIOL 125 Animal Form & Function Lab
3 CHEM 103 Chemistry of Life I
1 CHEM 104 Chemistry of Life I Lab
3 CHEM 106 Chemistry of Life II
1 CHEM 107 Chemistry of Life II Lab
3 DIET 202 or SPRT 130 Nutrition or Nutrition for Sports & Exercise
19 Total
Physician Assistant Courses
1 PHAS 111 Intro to PA Profession
3 PHAS 121 Medical Terminology
1 PHAS 215 Communication & Resources in the Patient Encounter
1 PHAS 312 Community Resources in Healthcare: A Service Learning Experience
3 PHAS 363 The Research Process
9 Total
Professional Phase Courses
3 BIOL 232 Human Genetics
3 BIOL 365 Human Anatomy
1 BIOL 366 Human Anatomy Lab
3 BIOL 368 Human Physiology
1 BIOL 369 Human Physiology Lab
3 BIOL 378 Medical Microbiology
1 BIOL 379 Medical Microbiology Lab
3 PSYC 232 Psychopathology
18 Total
FOURTH YEAR
Fall Semester
5 PHAS 411 Physical Diagnosis I
1 PHAS 413 Physical Diagnosis Lab II
3 PHAS 414 Medical Lecture Series I
3 PHAS 424 Pharmacotherapeutics I
3 PHAS 431 Clinical Science I
3 RADS 441 Intro to Radiology
18
Spring Semester
6 PHAS 415 Medical Lecture Series II
1 PHAS 416 Physical Diagnosis Lab III
3 PHAS 425 Pharmacotherapeutics II
2 PHAS 432 Clinical Science II
4 PHAS 438 PEDS/OB/GYN
2 PHAS 445 Problem-Based Medicine
18
Requirements complete for Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Health Science
FOURTH YEAR (start of Graduate Phase)
Summer Semester
5 GPHAS 601 Pre-Rotation Lecture Series
2 GPHAS 602 Business Practice for PAs
5 GPHAS 617 Family Medicine Rotation I
12
FIFTH YEAR
Fall Semester
5 GPHAS 618 Family Medicine Rotation II
5 GPHAS 619 Family Medicine Rotation III
5 GPHAS 614 General Surgery Rotation
15
Spring Semester
4 GPHAS 616 Clinical Research
5 GPHAS 621 Emergency Medical Rotation
5 GPHAS 622 Family Medicine Rotation IV
14
FIFTH YEAR
Summer Semester
5 GPHAS 623 Elective Rotation I
5 GPHAS 624 Elective Rotation II
2 GPHAS 631 Research Guidance
12
Requirements complete for Master of Physician Assistant Science
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