Master of Health Science, Physician Assistant
The Master of Health Science, Physician Assistant program is a 27-month, 101-semester unit course commencing every August, leading to a Master of Health Science (MHS) degree. This program is conducted on a full-time basis and takes place on campus.
The PA Program seeks out students who are committed to the vital mission of disseminating medical knowledge for the betterment of the global community. It equips them with the essential competencies needed to excel as healthcare providers. Our students gain proficiency in clinical skills across a spectrum of healthcare environments. They amass experience in managing and preventing diseases, promoting health, and practicing medicine within the framework of social justice.
Through rigorous training, our students become adept in physical diagnosis, history-taking, and diagnostic techniques. They also engage with standardized patients at the Clinical Skills and Simulation Center. This environment allows for a dynamic knowledge exchange, fostering collaboration among students and faculty from diverse medical, nursing, and public health disciplines sharing our campus.
Curriculum
| Curriculum | |||
| Semester | Course | Course Name | Units |
| Fall 1 | MPA 500 | Pathophysiology | 4 |
| MPA 501 | Human Anatomy | 4 | |
| MPA 512 | Principles of Medicine I | 6 | |
| MPA 524 | Psychosocial Dynamics in Health Care | 2 | |
| MPA 530 | Patient History & Physical Diagnosis I | 3 | |
| MPA 530b* | Patient History & Physical Diagnosis Ib | 3 | |
| Units: | 19 | ||
| Spring 1 | MPA 503 | Diagnostic Skills & Procedures I | 2 |
| MPA 504 | Pharmacology & Pharmacotherapeutics I | 3 | |
| MPA 506 | Introduction to Medical Spanish for the Physician Assistant | 2 | |
| MPA 511 | Microbiology and Infectious Disease | 2 | |
| MPA 522 | Principles of Medicine II | 9 | |
| MPA 531 | Patient History & Physical Diagnosis II | 3 | |
| MPA 531b* | Patient History & Physical Diagnosis IIb | 3 | |
| Units: | 21 | ||
| Summer 1 | MPA 507 | Research Methods | 3 |
| MPA 513 | Diagnostic Skills & Procedures II | 2 | |
| MPA 513b* | Diagnostic Skills & Procedures IIb | 2 | |
| MPA 514 | Pharmacology & Pharmacotherapeutics II | 3 | |
| MPA 520 | Principles of Surgery & Emergency Medicine | 3 | |
| MPA 521 | Principles of Obstetrics & Gynecology | 3 | |
| MPA 523 | Principles of Behavioral Medicine | 2 | |
| MPA 643 | Principles of Medicine III | 5 | |
| Units: | 21 | ||
| Fall 2 | MPA 610 | SCPE – Internal Medicine | 3 |
| MPA 611 | SCPE – Emergency Medicine | 3 | |
| MPA 612 | SCPE – Family Medicine | 3 | |
| MPA 700 | Graduate Seminar I | 3 | |
| MPA 700b* | Graduate Seminar Ib | 3 | |
| MPA 641 | Medical Ethics and Health Law | 3 | |
| Units: | 15 | ||
| Spring 2 | MPA 621 | SCPE – Surgery | 3 |
| MPA 622 | SCPE – Ob/Gyn | 3 | |
| MPA 623 | SCPE – Pediatrics | 3 | |
| MPA 701 | Graduate Seminar II | 3 | |
| MPA 701* | Graduate Seminar IIb | 3 | |
| Units: | 12 | ||
| Summer 2 | MPA 631 | SCPE -Behavioral Medicine | 3 |
| MPA 632 | SCPE Elective I | 3 | |
| MPA 632b* | SCPE Elective Ib | 3 | |
| MPA 632c* | SCPE Elective 1c | 3 | |
| MPA 633 | SCPE Elective II | 3 | |
| MPA 633b* | SCPE Elective IIb | 3 | |
| MPA 633c* | SCPE Elective IIc | 3 | |
| MPA 702 | Graduate Seminar III | 3 | |
| MPA 702b* | Graduate Seminar IIIb | 3 | |
| Units: | 12 | ||
| Fall 3 | MPA 645 | Professional Roles & Responsibilities | 2 |
| MPA 660 | Summative Evaluation and Medicine Review | 5 | |
| MPA 703 | Graduate Seminar IV | 3 | |
| MPA 703* | Graduate Seminar IVb | 3 | |
| Units: | 10 | ||
| Total Units: | 110 | ||
*Courses labelled with “b” or “c” include an international service-learning experience or international supervised clinical practice experience.
**Didactic year prerequisites: Admission to the CDU PA Program or program permission.
**Clinical year prerequisites: Completion of the preclinical phase of the CDU PA program or program permission.