• About the Program
  • Mission, Vision, Goals
  • Accreditation
  • PANCE
  • Facilities
• Admissions Information
• Curriculum
• Students
• Faculty
• Alumni & Preceptors
• Contacts

Mission, Vision & Goals

The Eastern Michigan University PA Program, with input from the PA Program Advisory Board, developed the following Mission, Vision and Goals to serve as the basis for the program.

Mission:

The Eastern Michigan University Physician Assistant Program mission is to identify, train and support a diverse population of graduate students to become highly respected ambassadors of the profession and extraordinary healthcare providers with a strong foundation in primary care medicine and interdisciplinary practice.

Vision:

Our physician assistant program is dedicated to teaching students the science and art of medicine. Our clinically-focused curriculum will promote critical thinking and patient-centered problem solving. We are committed to producing graduates who will master the skills required to competently and compassionately practice preventive and diagnostic medicine, and foster the interpersonal and collaborative attributes necessary to become exemplary medical providers.

Goals:

The Eastern Michigan University Physician Assistant Program embraces and supports the Competencies for the Physician Assistant Profession as developed jointly by the National Commission on Accreditation of Physician Assistants (NCCPA), the Accreditation Review Commission for Education of the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA), the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA) and the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA).

The Eastern Michigan University (EMU) PA Program Goals align with what we believe to be the spirit and intent of these professional competencies and are attainable when our students graduate.

MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE

EMU PA Program graduates will demonstrate core knowledge about established and evolving biomedical and clinical sciences and the application of this knowledge to patient care in their area of practice.
This will be measured by:

• Graduation rate of matriculating students
• First-time NCCPA PANCE pass rate

INTERPERSONAL & COMMUNICATION SKILLS

EMU PA Program graduates will demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills that result in effective information exchange with patients, patients' families, physicians, professional associates and other individuals within the health care system.
This will be measured by:

• Proficiency evaluations within the curriculum
• Review of clinical preceptor evaluations

PATIENT CARE

EMU PA Program graduates will demonstrate care that is effective, safe, high quality and equitable. Patient care includes patient- and setting-specific assessment, evaluation and management.
This will be measured by:

• Evaluations of simulated patient encounters
• Review of clinical preceptor evaluations

PROFESSIONALISM

EMU PA Program graduates will acknowledge their professional and personal limitations. EMU PA Program graduates will demonstrate professionalism, which also requires that PAs practice without impairment from substance abuse, cognitive deficiency or mental illness. EMU PA Program graduates will demonstrate a high level of responsibility, ethical practice, sensitivity to a diverse patient population and adherence to legal and regulatory requirements.
This will be measured by:

• Review of clinical preceptor evaluations related to patient interactions and professionalism
• Evaluation of student knowledge of legal and regulatory requirements of the PA profession

PRACTICE-BASED LEARNING AND IMPROVEMENT

EMU PA Program graduates will be able to assess, evaluate and improve their patient care practices.
This will be measured by:

• Student self-analysis of their performance in simulated patient experiences
• Faculty and peer evaluation of student practice experiences

SYSTEMS-BASED PRACTICE

EMU PA Program graduates will demonstrate an awareness of and responsiveness to the larger system of health care to provide patient care that balances quality and cost, while maintaining the primacy of the individual patient. EMU PA Program graduates will work to improve the health care system of which their practices are a part.
This will be measured by:

• Review of clinical preceptor evaluations of student practice of quality and cost-effective health care
• Graduate self-analysis of resource allocation and assisting patients in dealing with system complexities