The didactic, or classroom, year of the MEDEX curriculum is designed to teach clinical reasoning skills by building a foundation of new clinical knowledge, and then applying this knowledge to clinical situations. Summer quarter is a review of basic scientific concepts. Autumn quarter teaches the skills of information gathering in a clinical setting with intensive history and physical exam instruction. Pathophysiology in autumn quarter adds the foundational information needed for understanding disease processes. Winter and spring quarter cover the clinical diagnosis and treatment of diseases and disorders from all body systems. By the end of spring quarter, students are able to perform a history and physical exam, identify differential diagnoses, arrive at the most likely diagnosis, and formulate a treatment plan for patient complaints that are commonly seen in primary care.
The method of teaching in the didactic year changes over the course of the quarters to enhance clinical reasoning skills. All major body systems are taught once in anatomy and physiology, and repeated again in the basic clinical skills and pathophysiology courses. In winter and spring, body systems are studied in blocks across the courses so that the content of each course is reinforced in the other courses. Summer and autumn are fact- and skills-based courses where memorization and repetition are used to create the foundations needed for clinical care. Winter and spring use increasingly interactive methods for learning that include lectures from experts, small group work, team-based learning, problem-based learning and appreciative inquiry. Clinical reasoning problems are one example of assignments that cross courses to integrate knowledge and mimic patient care by walking through the assessment and treatment of a patient case that unfolds gradually. Faculty members are committed to making class time interesting and engaging while ensuring that all students learn medicine.
Click on the course name in the Didactic Timeline for details and a course description.
Sum I
Aut
Wtr
Spr
Sum II
*Capstone projects run Autumn through Summer II
Summer Quarter: 17 Credits
| Course No. | Name |
Credit Hrs. |
|---|---|---|
| MEDEX 551 | Anatomy & Physiology |
6 |
| MEDEX 550 | Basic Science in Clinical Medicine |
6 |
| MEDEX 588 | Investigative Skills |
5 |
Autumn Quarter: 15 Credits
| Course No. | Name |
Credit Hrs. |
|---|---|---|
| MEDEX 552 | Pathophysiology for Primary Care |
6 |
| MEDEX 553 | Basic Clinical Skills |
5 |
| MEDEX 557 | Behavioral Medicine I |
2 |
| MEDEX 570 | Professional Role Development I |
1 |
| MEDEX 573 | Technical Skills I |
1 |
Winter Quarter: 19 Credits
| Course No. | Name |
Credit Hrs. |
|---|---|---|
| MEDEX 554 | Adult Medicine I |
7 |
| MEDEX 556 | Maternal & Child Health I |
3 |
| MEDEX 558 | Behavioral Medicine II |
2 |
| MEDEX 560 | Principles of Patient Management |
3 |
| MEDEX 568 | Emergency Medicine I |
2 |
| MEDEX 571 | Professional Role Development II |
1 |
| MEDEX 574 | Technical Skills II |
1 |
Spring Quarter: 19 Credits
| Course No. | Name |
Credit Hrs. |
|---|---|---|
| MEDEX 555 | Adult Medicine II |
7 |
| MEDEX 562 | Maternal & Child Health II |
3 |
| MEDEX 572 | Professional Role Development III |
1 |
| MEDEX 559 | Behavioral Medicine III |
2 |
| MEDEX 561 | Principles of Patient Management II |
3 |
| MEDEX 569 | Emergency Medicine II |
2 |
| MEDEX 575 | Technical Skills III |
1 |
Summer Quarter (online): 13 Credits
| Course No. | Name |
Credit Hrs. |
|---|---|---|
| MEDEX 540/541/542/543 | Focused Study Course |
5 |
| MEDEX 581 | Capstone Project I |
3 |
Course Descriptions
Summer Quarter: 17 credits
MEDEX 551: Anatomy & Physiology – 6 credits
Students are taught the anatomy and physiology of the following organ systems: endocrine, immune, respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, gynecological, integumentary, musculoskeletal and neurological, with a focus on clinical examples of anatomic and physiologic principles encountered in primary care practice. The course is delivered partly online before arrival on campus, with two full weeks of in-class instruction and testing.
MEDEX 550: Basic Science in Clinical Medicine – 6 credits
This course is an intensive review of important basic science topics relevant to clinical medicine at the PA level. The material is necessary to the understanding and integration of information that will be presented throughout the remainder of the MEDEX curriculum. Topics include cell biology, genetics, immunology and microbiology. This course requires a short research paper.
MEDEX 588: Investigative Skills – 5 credits
The ongoing changes to healthcare delivery, continued advances in clinical research and publication, and evolution of the PA profession require that the modern clinician be able to locate, critically appraise, and apply current health research outcomes. These skills are essential for PAs to remain up-to-date. This course teaches basic concepts in measurement, biostatistics and epidemiology, and the skills needed to evaluate public health and biomedical research. Through a series of lectures focused on research concepts, small group exercises, and online group discussions, students will acquire skills allowing them to review and evaluate current research results and apply reliable outcomes to their practice.
Autumn Quarter: 15 credits total
MEDEX 552: Pathophysiology for Primary Care – 6 credits
This course covers basic pathological and pathophysiological concepts of diseases commonly encountered in primary care practice. Pathophysiology is studied per organ system. Students will write a research paper.
MEDEX 553: Basic Clinical Skills – 5 credits
This course helps the student to develop mastery of a screening history and physical examination and thorough data-collection skills. In addition, students learn branching exams of the major organ systems, medical record-keeping and verbal presentation skills.
MEDEX 557: Behavioral Medicine I – 2 credits
Students learn process skills and interpersonal skills needed for a career in primary care practice with an emphasis on learning to efficiently guide clinical interviews and respond to patients’ emotional cues. Students will also learn assessment skills for the diagnosis of emotional problems and the management skills used in primary care practice to deal with these problems. Students will participate in an interview of a patient with a chronic mental illness.
MEDEX 570: Professional Role Development I – 1 credit
This course provides an opportunity to understand and develop relationships with other health professions; discover emerging issues in primary care across a wide range of urban and rural communities; and explore course topics through self-reflection essays and personal analysis.
MEDEX 573: Technical Skills I – 1 credit
Using lectures, simulation experiences and group exercises, this course introduces clinical reasoning, basic clinical procedures, laboratory medicine, radiology, and electrocardiography. Students will demonstrate the ability to assess a patient’s clinical condition using critical thinking skills that evaluate normal and abnormal findings associated with lab results, radiographs, and ECGs. The course includes simulation workshops, procedural demonstrations and lectures throughout the didactic year.
Winter Quarter: 19 credits total
MEDEX 554: Adult Medicine I – 7 credits
This course provides a problem-oriented approach to the diagnosis and initial management of common primary care conditions. The organ systems covered in winter include eye-ear-nose-throat, rheumatology, gynecology, sexually transmitted disease, HIV, gastroenterology, orthopedics and hematology.
MEDEX 556: Maternal & Child Health I – 3 credits
This course introduces a systems-oriented approach to the diagnosis and initial management of common primary care problems in pediatrics and obstetrics. Topics include newborn, well-child, adolescent and sports exams as well as pediatric health maintenance and an overview of normal pregnancy and delivery in the primary care setting.
MEDEX 558: Behavioral Medicine II – 2 credits
This course provides in-depth coverage of common emotional problems seen in primary care. Specific topics include depression and mood disorders, HIV panel discussion, healthcare for people living homeless, chronic pain, sexual assault, sexual minorities, sleep medicine, anxiety disorders and PTSD, applied ethics. All students will participate in an interview of a patient with a chronic mental illness.
MEDEX 560: Principles of Patient Management I – 3 credits
This course teaches a systematic approach to patient management applicable to a primary care setting. The course is devoted to drug therapy and its administration. The organ-system approach generally matches the topic sequence in Adult Medicine I.
MEDEX 568: Emergency Medicine I – 2 credits
This course provides an approach to the diagnosis and management of common emergency conditions for primary care physician assistants. Topics include initial trauma assessment; multiple trauma to include head, spinal and abdominal trauma, eye-ear-nose-throat and dental emergencies, toxicology, orthopedic emergencies, psychiatric, cardiac, pulmonary, GU/gyn emergencies and shock.
MEDEX 571: Professional Role Development II – 1 credit
This course emphasizes knowledge, skills and attitudes for dealing with diverse population groups. Students will work in groups, focus on specific health and social parameters that are pertinent to a particular underserved population and make a presentation to their classmates. Other topics include health care systems, use of medical interpreters and essentials of public health.
MEDEX 574: Technical Skills II – 1 credit
Using lectures, simulation experiences and group exercises, this course introduces clinical reasoning, basic clinical procedures, laboratory medicine, radiology, and electrocardiography. Students will demonstrate the ability to assess a patient’s clinical condition using critical thinking skills that evaluate normal and abnormal findings associated with lab results, radiographs, and ECGs. The course includes simulation workshops, procedural demonstrations and lectures throughout the didactic year. Workshops this quarter will include the gynecological exam, suturing and punch biopsy.
Spring Quarter: 19 credits total
MEDEX 555: Adult Medicine II – 7 credits
This course provides a system-oriented approach to the diagnosis and initial management of common primary care conditions. The organ systems covered in spring include endocrinology, nephrology, urology, cardiology, dermatology, pulmonology and neurology.
MEDEX 562: Maternal & Child Health II – 3 credits
This course continues a system-oriented approach to the diagnosis and initial management of common primary care pediatric conditions. Topics include common respiratory, cardiac and dermatologic problems, and also issues of chronic illness in children.
MEDEX 572: Professional Role Development III – 1 credit
Current issues in healthcare delivery systems will be the focus of this quarter. Topics include medical ethics, managed care, reimbursement, access and related issues.
MEDEX 559: Behavioral Medicine III – 2 credits
This course continues to provide in-depth coverage of common emotional problems seen in primary care. Specific topics include intimate partner violence, dementia, sexuality through the life span, substance abuse & alcoholism, the impaired provider, psychiatric and developmental disorders in children, somatization, and eating disorders.
MEDEX 561: Principles of Patient Management II – 3 credits
This course continues building on winter quarter material with a systematic approach to pharmacological therapies and follows the topic sequence of Adult Medicine. It includes information on drug choice, drug administration and risk factor identification and reduction. Additional foci of the course include non-pharmacological therapies and an emphasis on health education and health promotion strategies.
MEDEX 569: Emergency Medicine II – 2 credits
Topics this quarter include chest trauma, environmental emergencies, pulmonary emergencies, genitourinary and gynecological emergencies including sexual assault, endocrine emergencies, neurological emergencies, cardiac emergencies including arrhythmias, and acute coronary syndrome, and toxicology.
MEDEX 575: Technical Skills III – 1 credit
Using lectures, simulation experiences and group exercises, this course introduces clinical reasoning, basic clinical procedures, laboratory medicine, radiology, and electrocardiography. Students will demonstrate the ability to assess a patient’s clinical condition using critical thinking skills that evaluate normal and abnormal findings associated with lab results, radiographs, and ECGs. The course includes simulation workshops, procedural demonstrations and lectures throughout the didactic year. Workshops this quarter will include the genitourinary exam, and casting and splinting.
Summer Quarter (online): 8 credits total
Focused Study Course – 5 credits
The focused study course will follow a small-group seminar format that allows students to select an area of special interest. The various sections will share a common theme of providing high quality care within healthcare systems, but will diverge in focus and application. Students may select only one subject focus, and the different subject sections run concurrently.
Students will select one of the following options.
- MEDEX 540: Healthcare for Rural and Medically Underserved Populations: This course will examine the nature and severity of disparities in health care access and delivery to rural and urban underserved populations. Students will be challenged to consider these issues from the perspective of policy-makers as well as from the perspective as clinicians.
- MEDEX 541: Public Health and Preventive Medicine: This course will explore the principles, systems and practices of public health and preventive medicine at the local, state and national levels. Students should recognize the breadth of health professions and how the interdisciplinary teams in which they work provide the structure for public health and preventive medicine at all levels of health care.
MEDEX 581: Capstone Project I – 3 credits
Among the requirements for the PA program is a Capstone Project. Students will be expected to produce a finished product of sufficient depth and analytic rigor to demonstrate the independent thought appropriate to clinical master’s-level work. Each student’s Capstone Project will relate to his or her focused study area. Students will work on their project over five quarters, beginning in the summer between the first (didactic) and second (clinical) years of the PA curriculum. Students will plan and begin their project with input from faculty advisors.