Physician Assistant Studies Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the Mercyhurst Department of Physician Assistant Studies, the graduate will possess knowledge, skills, and abilities in the following competencies:

• Demonstrate knowledge of established and evolving biomedical, clinical, and social-behavioral sciences and application to patient care across the lifespan for medical conditions, including preventative, emergent, acute, and chronic
• Elicit a medical history that is relevant and accurate of patient information across the lifespan and adjusts to the health care setting
• Perform a physical examination that adjusts accordingly to the reason for the visit, patient demographics, and condition
• Analyze patient data to develop a differential diagnosis (clinical reasoning/problem-solving) that applies the principles of epidemiology across the lifespan and evidence-based medicine for medical conditions, including preventative, emergent, acute, and chronic
• Develop a diagnostic management plan (clinical reasoning/problem-solving) for common medical conditions, including preventative, emergent, acute, and chronic, across the lifespan, considering the cost, sensitivity/specificity, invasiveness, and appropriate sequencing
• Develop a therapeutic management plan (clinical reasoning/problem-solving) for medical conditions, including preventative, emergent, acute, and chronic, across the lifespan that applies principles of pharmacotherapeutics and non-pharmacotherapeutics while considering the patient’s condition, psychosocial context, and socioeconomic factors. Make certain the plan is practical for implementation and ensures follow-up care
• Provide accurate patient education (interpersonal skills) regarding medical conditions, including preventative, emergent, acute, and chronic, to patients across the lifespan, inclusive of health promotion and disease prevention in oral and written forms, taking into consideration literacy, diversity, inclusiveness of family/caregivers, and utilization of other healthcare professionals and community resources/services
• Communicate clearly and effectively (interpersonal skills) in oral and written forms with patients across the lifespan, their family/caregivers, and members of the healthcare team to provide competent and comprehensive patient-centered care for medical conditions, including preventative, emergent, acute, and chronic
• Perform medical and surgical procedures (clinical and technical skills) common across the lifespan in primary care for preventative, emergent, acute, and chronic conditions to include venipuncture, intravenous access, injections, EKG, urinalysis, strep screen, stool occult blood, wound management, casting, splinting, urinary catheterization, and CPR
• Demonstrate professionalism with high ethical standards sensitive to patients across the lifespan, their families/caregivers, and health care team 
• Continually promote the Mercy values of compassion, justice, dignity, excellence, hospitality, and stewardship in practice and service to the community
• Maintain practice-based and lifelong learning skills with continued critical analysis of medical literature to evaluate, manage, and improve patient-centered care
• Demonstrate responsiveness to systems-based practice by practicing cost-effective care and resource allocation that does not compromise the quality of care