Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) Degree Program
- Earn your PA degree
- Full-time - As few as 2 years1
- 12-month didactic phase followed by a 12-month clinical phase
- Campus-based didactic phase and on-site clerkships clinical phase
- Total credit hours: 109
- 1
With year-round, full-time study.
Note: Program/program option availability varies by state/location.
Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) Degree Program Overview
The Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) degree program at Chamberlain University is designed to prepare healthcare professionals for the practice of general medicine in collaboration with a licensed physician and healthcare team. This campus-based program uses a medical education model and modular format based on organ systems to build on basic and healthcare sciences to provide in-depth preparation for the provision of medical care for patients across the lifespan and in a variety of clinical settings. Through didactic coursework and immersive clinical experiences, students will learn to diagnose illness, order and interpret diagnostic tests, conduct physical exams, develop and manage plans of care for individuals across the lifespan, prescribe medications, provide preventive healthcare counseling and assist in surgery.
This 24-month program is designed to be completed on a full-time basis only (no part-time option is available). The curriculum is composed of a 12-month didactic phase followed by a 12-month clinical phase. Most of the courses in the didactic year of the program are delivered in a hybrid modular format in which students are registered for multiple courses within an eight-week session that are taken sequentially rather than concurrently; each course must be successfully completed in order to progress into the next course. The major focus of the didactic year is clinical medicine taught in Comprehensive Clinical Module (CCM) courses that allow students to focus on mastery of the clinical skills related to one organ system. Within the CCM course, students have the opportunity to integrate anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, history and physical exam findings, clinical presentation, clinical diagnostics, pharmacology, evidence-based medicine, genetics, medical procedures and skills, patient education, and prevention of emergent, acute and chronic conditions related to that specific system across the lifespan.
The clinical year is comprised of ten four-week clinical clerkships, generally two per session. Clinical clerkships are supervised clinical practice experiences in family medicine, internal medicine, emergency medicine, surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, behavioral health and underserved populations. Students are also required to complete two elective clinical clerkships. Students are expected to mirror the preceptor’s full-time schedule and shift. The minimum clinical requirement is 1,440 hours.
Students declaring an MPAS degree are required to authorize and pay for a background check and fingerprint screen, through a Chamberlain preferred vendor, and must be cleared in order to be fully accepted into the program. Prior to the clinical year, students will be required to authorize, pay for, and clear a background check, fingerprint screen and drug screen. Applicants may be denied entry related to current and past infractions at the discretion of the admissions committee and/or dean.
Upon successful completion of all degree requirements, the Master of Physician Assistant Studies degree will be conferred. Graduates will be eligible to take the certification examination administered by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA). Certification is a requirement for registration/licensure to practice in all states.
The ARC-PA has granted Accreditation-Provisional status to the Chamberlain University Physician Assistant Program sponsored by Chamberlain University.
Accreditation-Provisional is an accreditation status granted when the plans and resource allocation, if fully implemented as planned, of a proposed program that has not yet enrolled students appear to demonstrate the program's ability to meet the ARC-PA Standards or when a program holding Accreditation-Provisional status appears to demonstrate continued progress in complying wth the Standards as it prepares for the graduation of the first class (cohort) of students.
Accreditation-Provisional does not ensure any subsequent accreditation status. It is limited to no more than five years from matriculation of the first class.
The program's accreditation history can be viewed on the ARC-PA website at http://www.arc-pa.org/accreditation-history-chamberlain-university/.
Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) Mission
To educate and empower competent, compassionate, and culturally sensitive physician assistant professionals who advance the health of people, families, communities and nations.
Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) Program Vision
By living Chamberlain Care, we graduate extraordinary physician assistant professionals who transform the health of people worldwide.
Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) Program Goals
- Enable graduates to apply the knowledge and skills necessary to provide compassionate, competent and culturally sensitive patient-centered care.
- Empower graduates to manage the healthcare needs and challenges of underserved populations.
- Foster professionalism throughout the entire MPAS curriculum.
- Model and cultivate cultural humility throughout the entire MPAS curriculum.
- Be a workforce solution by graduating high quality physician assistants to help meet the needs of the healthcare system.
Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) Program Competencies
The program competencies represent the objectives of the curriculum and the intensive patient care experiences, reflect the accreditation requirements of the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA), and incorporate Competencies for the Physician Assistant Profession developed collaboratively by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA), Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA), American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) and Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA). The expected competencies for Chamberlain’s Master of Physician Assistant Studies degree program are as follows:
Medical Knowledge
Apply medical knowledge in the assessment, diagnosis and management of patients across the lifespan to prevent, diagnose and treat acute, chronic, urgent and emergent disease states.
Interpersonal & Communication Skills
Communicates effectively with patient populations and other healthcare providers in managing the healthcare of individuals, families, aggregates and communities.
Clinical & Technical Skills
Incorporate clinical and technical skills while performing medical and surgical procedures essential to physician assistant practice.
Clinical Reasoning & Problem-Solving
Synthesize history, physical examination and clinical diagnostic findings to develop management plans appropriate for the patient’s medical and/or surgical conditions.
Professional Behaviors
Demonstrate a high level of responsibility, compassion, commitment to ethical practice principles, sensitivity to diverse patient populations and adherence to legal and regulatory requirements.
Practice-Based Learning & Improvement
- Integrate evidence from scientific studies and multiple sources to improve practice using systematic methods in collaboration with other members of the healthcare team.
- Create a holistic and inclusive practice environment with awareness to personal and system biases, culture, individual preference, gaps in medical knowledge and physical limitations of self and others.
Systems-Based Practice
- Engage in inter-professional teams in various healthcare delivery settings and coordinate care to improve and optimize healthcare delivery and patient-centered care.
- Consider environmental influences, socioeconomic factors, health care disparities and other population level determinants to promote health and wellness of communities and patients.
- Advocate for health policies that promote quality, safe and cost-effective healthcare at the micro, meso and macro levels.
Program Details
Master of Physician Assistant Studies
Degree: Master of Physician Assistant Studies
Semesters: 6 Full Time
Minimum credit hours required to graduate: 109
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MPAS Courses | ||
| PA-501 | PA Professional Practice Seminar I | 1 |
| PA-502 | Evidence Based Medicine | 1 |
| PA-503 | Essential Foundations in Clinical Medicine | 5 |
| PA-504 | Medical Interviewing and Documentation | 2 |
| PA-505 | Behavioral Medicine I | 2 |
| PA-510 | Comprehensive Clinical Module Dermatology | 1 |
| PA-512 | CCM Hematology/Oncology | 2 |
| PA-514 | Comprehensive Clinical Module Infectious Disease | 2 |
| PA-516 | Comprehensive Clinical Module HEENT (Head, Ears, Eyes, Nose, Throat) | 3 |
| PA-518 | Comp Clin Mod Cardiovascular | 8 |
| PA-520 | Comprehensive Clinical Module Pulmonology | 5 |
| PA-522 | Comprehensive Clinical Module Endocrinology | 3 |
| PA-524 | Comprehensive Clinical Module Nephrology & Genitourinary | 4 |
| PA-526 | Comprehensive Clinical Module Gastroenterology | 5 |
| PA-528 | Comprehensive Clinical Module Neurology | 4 |
| PA-530 | Comprehensive Clinical Module Musculoskeletal | 4 |
| PA-531 | Emergency Medicine | 3 |
| PA-532 | Surgical and Clinical Skills | 3 |
| PA-533 | Obstetrics & Gynecology | 5 |
| PA-534 | Pediatrics | 3 |
| PA-536 | Behavioral Medicine II | 1 |
| PA-541 | PA Professional Practice Seminar II | 1 |
| PA-601 | PA Prof Prac Seminar III | 1 |
| PA-602 | PA Prof Prac Seminar IV | 1 |
| PA-603 | PA Prof Prac Seminar V | 1 |
| PA-604 | PA Prof Prac Seminar VI | 1 |
| PA-608 | Transition to Practice I | 3 |
| PA-610 | Clinical Clerkship – Family Medicine | 3 |
| PA-612 | Clinical Clerkship – Internal Medicine | 3 |
| PA-614 | Clinical Clerkship – Emergency Medicine | 3 |
| PA-616 | Clinical Clerkship – Surgery | 3 |
| PA-618 | Clinical Clerkship – Pediatrics | 3 |
| PA-620 | Clinical Clerkship – Obstetrics & Gynecology | 3 |
| PA-622 | Clinical Clerkship – Behavioral Health | 3 |
| PA-624 | Clinical Clerkship – Underserved Population | 3 |
| PA-626 | Clinical Clerkship – Elective I | 3 |
| PA-628 | Clinical Clerkship – Elective II | 3 |
| PA-648 | Transition to Practice II | 3 |
| PA-650 | Capstone Project | 1 |
Master of Physician Assistant Studies Technical Standards
Note: Based in part on the recommendations of the AAMC Special Advisory Panel on Technical Standards for Medical School Admission.
Chamberlain University is committed to the achievement of superior student outcomes for a diverse population of students. Learning is designed to provide all students with the best academic experience and support services to become extraordinary healthcare professionals. Clinical education is designed using a holistic experiential learning model that recognizes and fosters each student’s professional potential to ultimately improve patients’ health outcomes in communities across various fields of care.
When considering a physician assistant studies program, the student must evaluate their abilities and skills. To succeed in a physician assistant studies program, a student must possess certain abilities and skills deemed essential functions for the care of the patients they will serve.
Students seeking admission and currently-enrolled students should be aware that all students must meet technical standards with or without reasonable accommodations in addition to meeting academic standards. Students will be required to maintain satisfactory demonstration of both academic and technical standards for progression through the program.
A candidate for Chamberlain’s MPAS degree program must have abilities and skills in five areas: Observation/Acquiring Knowledge; Communication; Intellectual, Integrative and Quantitative Abilities; Motor Functions; and Behavioral/Social Attributes.
Chamberlain is committed to excellence in accessibility to education; we encourage students with disabilities to seek accommodations. To make an accommodation request contact the Office of Student Disability Services at [email protected].
Observation/Acquiring Knowledge
The first standard, observation/acquiring knowledge, relates to the student’s ability to develop through experience a skill or habit until learned as an innate ability.
- Possess the ability to observe the following in lecture, laboratory, and clinical settings:
- presentations;
- live and recorded demonstrations;
- written material; and
- visual media.
- Detect accurately a patient’s medical condition
- Demonstrate the ability to acquire knowledge from didactic, experiential learning and clinical environments
- Demonstrate the ability to acquire knowledge from written documents and electronic systems which includes scholarly articles and journals
Communication
The second standard, communication relates to the students’ ability to impart or exchange information or data.
- Demonstrate communication skills for sensitive and effective interactions with patients, families and/or communities and teams
- Effective communication abilities with faculty, preceptors and all members of the healthcare team in didactic, experiential learning and clinical environments
- Elicit information including a medical history and other details to accurately and effectively evaluate a patient’s condition
- Communicate effectively in a professional manner with patients in order to elicit information
- Accurately describe patient changes such as mood, activity and posture and perceive nonverbal communications
- Deliver clear, concise and pertinent communication to ensure safe transitions in care or elicit action in critical situations
Intellectual, Integrative & Quantitative Abilities
The third standard, Intellectual, Integrative and Quantitative Abilities, relates to the students’ ability to critically analyze information and determine next action steps.
- Possess intellectual, integrative and quantitative abilities necessary for synthesizing information, critical thinking and problem solving
- Measure, calculate, integrate, reason, analyze, prioritize, synthesize data related to patient diagnosis and care
- Comprehend three-dimensional relationships and to understand the spatial relationships of structures
Motor Functions
The fourth standard, Motor Functions, relates to the students' fine and gross motor skills necessary to function in the role.
- Possess necessary motor functions to perform palpation, auscultation, percussion and other diagnostic maneuvers on patients to elicit information
- Possess motor (fine and gross) capabilities to operate instruments; perform a complete physical examination; perform diagnostic procedures; provide emergency treatment to patients, such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the application of pressure to stop bleeding; perform procedures which require both gross and fine motor movements; administer intravenous medication; and perform suturing of simple wounds
- Possess capability, strength and stamina to move within the classroom, laboratory and clinical areas including but not limited to examination rooms, treatment rooms and surgical suites for long periods of time
Behavioral/Social Attributes
The fifth standard, Behavioral/Social Attributes, describes a range of students’ characteristics that can be measured and shown to differentiate effective and ineffective performance.
- Possess ability to effectively handle and manage heavy workloads, function effectively under stress, adapt to changing environments, display flexibility and function in the face of ambiguity inherent in the clinical problems of patients
- Possess the ability to critically think and reason
- Possess sensitivity, good judgment, effective interpersonal skills and concern for others
- Accept responsibility for learning, capable of caring
- Maintain professional interactions with patients and health care personnel
- Demonstrate integrity, accountability, interest and motivation
- Demonstrate intent and willingness to follow the American Academy of Physician Assistant’s Code of Ethics