Clinical Curriculum
MEDEX maintains and cultivates a substantial pool of potential sites and preceptors throughout the WWAMI states and Hawaii, and requires students to travel during the clinical phase of their education. Students entering their clinical year can expect several exciting and educational experiences while rotating through our six-state service region. The clinical year is made up of ten rotations and all students are required to participate in each rotation.
MEDEX Supervised Clinical Practice Experiences (SCPE):
MEDEX 589 Primary Care I (8 credits)
MEDEX 590 Primary Care II (8 credits)
MEDEX 591 Primary Care III (8 credits)
MEDEX 592 Underserved Primary Care (8 credits)
MEDEX 593 Internal Medicine (8 credits)
MEDEX 594 Surgery (8 credits)
MEDEX 595 Behavioral Medicine (8 credits)
MEDEX 596 Emergency Medicine (8 credits)
MEDEX 597 Elective I (8 credits)
MEDEX 598 Elective II (8 credits)
MEDEX 602 Preparing for Practice (5 credits)
Course Descriptions:
MEDEX 589 Primary Care I
MEDEX 590 Primary Care II
MEDEX 591 Primary Care III
MEDEX 592 Underserved Primary Care
Primary care is central to the MEDEX mission, which is why a significant portion of the clinical year is dedicated to primary care experiences. These rotations emphasize ambulatory care and focus on common medical problems, biopsychosocial factors, preventive care, and the evolving role of the primary care provider.
Students are placed in a variety of settings, including community clinics, large healthcare systems, independent practices, and small group clinics. Across these sites, they gain hands-on experience in diagnosing and managing patients using office-based, hospital, home, and community resources.
The Primary Care curriculum is structured into four one-month courses:
- Primary Care I focuses on pediatrics and includes the PAEA Pediatrics End of Rotation Exam.
- Primary Care II emphasizes women’s health and includes the PAEA Women’s Health End of Rotation Exam.
- Primary Care III centers on general primary care and includes the PAEA Family Medicine End of Rotation Exam.
- Underserved Primary Care takes place in a medically underserved setting and includes a reflective assignment. Students work with patients at higher risk for poor health outcomes due to limited access to healthcare resources, gaining valuable insights into social determinants of health and health equity.
MEDEX 593 Internal Medicine
During this rotation, clinical students will gain essential experience managing high-acuity medical patients in an internal medicine setting. They will refine key clinical skills, including history-taking, physical examination, diagnostic test interpretation, and understanding of treatment protocols, all within the context of caring for acutely and chronically ill patients.
Students will actively participate in daily rounds or clinic visits, and structured training sessions. Additional experiences may include collaborating with consulting specialists and engaging with a multidisciplinary care team to deliver comprehensive patient care.
This Supervised Clinical Practice Experience (SCPE) includes the PAEA Internal Medicine End of Rotation Exam.
MEDEX 594 Surgery
During this rotation, students will expand their understanding of surgical conditions and procedures, while being introduced to the fundamental principles of surgical management. Students will actively participate in the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative care of patients, as well as the outpatient follow-up of recently discharged patients, providing a comprehensive view of the surgical care continuum.
This Supervised Clinical Practice Experience (SCPE) includes the PAEA Surgery End of Rotation Exam.
MEDEX 595 Behavioral Medicine
This rotation provides students with both active and observational experiences in a variety of behavioral health settings, including outpatient clinics and inpatient treatment facilities. Placement sites may include state and federal correctional institutions, substance abuse treatment centers, outpatient clinics, and large multidisciplinary medical centers.
Students will encounter a wide range of psychiatric conditions and will participate in patient evaluation and treatment. This may include counseling, medical management, mental health assessments, and collaboration with healthcare providers through consultation.
This Supervised Clinical Practice Experience (SCPE) includes the PAEA Behavioral Medicine End of Rotation Exam.
MEDEX 596 Emergency Medicine
During this rotation, clinical students will encounter a broad spectrum of patient presentations, ranging from common outpatient complaints to critical, life-threatening conditions that demand rapid assessment and immediate intervention.
Students will gain experience in the fast-paced environment of the emergency department, developing the skills needed to efficiently evaluate, diagnose, and manage acute and serious illnesses. This rotation emphasizes quick clinical decision-making, prioritization of care, and exposure to a wide array of emergent conditions.
This Supervised Clinical Practice Experience (SCPE) includes the PAEA Emergency Medicine End of Rotation Exam.
MEDEX 597 and 598 Elective
Clinical students participate in two elective one-month clinical experiences tailored to their individual interests and career goals. While each elective must be medically focused and relevant to physician assistant practice, the scope of options is otherwise broad—limited primarily by the student’s initiative and professional aspirations.
There is no PAEA End of Rotation Exam associated with elective Supervised Clinical Practice Experiences (SCPE).
MEDEX 602 Preparing for Practice
The Preparing for Practice course equips students with essential skills to support a successful transition into clinical practice as a physician assistant. The four week in-person course emphasizes PANCE preparation and addresses other critical components of professional readiness, including practical, clinical, and administrative aspects of PA practice. This is an in-person course at each campus. Attendance is required.
As part of this course, students complete a comprehensive Summative Evaluation, which includes:
- PAEA End of Curriculum Exam
- Summative Clinical Reasoning Assessment (CRA)
- Summative Essay
- Summative Technical Skills Assessment