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by David Payne

Exciting Start for University of Charleston Physician Assistant Program

January 26, 2013 in UC PA Program


The University of Charleston Physician Assistant Program launched its inaugural class of thirty students on Monday, January 7th, only three short weeks ago! Since that time, students and faculty have felt the mix of emotions that come with the beginnings of such a journey – enthusiasm, gratitude, anxiousness, excitement, and yes, even fear. In 28 short months, each of these students will launch their careers as the program’s first graduates, taking on the sacred role as medical practitioner. So what have these students been up to anyway?

Orientation

Orientation was filled with interesting activities. Here’s a sample of what was covered and some of the comments that were made by students through an anonymous survey:

  • Learning Preferences Assessment: Sandy Stennett PA-C, one of our core faculty members, did a great job of facilitating a learning preferences assessment and strategies session using the VARK questionnaire. — Student comments: “I loved this presentation, I felt it truly helped me figure out the best way to learn.” — “I really liked the information given to us during this session. I think that it made us all think about what our most beneficial learning style is. For me, it broke down all of the different forms of learning that I could incorporate into my study habits. It was helpful to get to discuss these different methods with my classmates as well.”
  • Anti-Procrastination Planning: Jennifer Pack PA-C, our Director of Didactic Education, shared a great presentation on procrastination including key strategies for avoiding this plaguing habit. — Student comments: ”I now know how sometimes I am procrastinating even when I do not actually mean to or realize it, such as doing little tasks first.” — “This was very helpful to me. I want to try and stay on top of everything, these tips will be very useful. Glad to know I am not the only procrastinator.”
  • Cloud Computing and Note-Taking Softwares:  I had the opportunity to discuss several strategies for implementation of cloud computing applications and note-taking softwares into students’ workflows. It was also fun to show the students how this technology can be used after they graduate. We covered several applications including Evernote, Dropbox, Notability, and LiveScribe. — Student comments: ”I absolutely love the programs that were discussed and will definitely be using them throughout the program in order to keep my notes and studies organized.” — “This presentation was mind blowing. It was extremely informative and helpful. It opened my eyes to a world of things that were in front of me that I did not know existed. This was very helpful and will re-shape how I will take notes, record lectures, and store information.”
  • Memory Enhancements Presentation: Tina Chafin PA-C, our Director of Clinical Education, provided a fantastic presentation on memory enhancement methods. I especially enjoyed some of her acronym examples, including one useful in learning the cranial nerves. — Student comments: ”This was awesome! Very helpful, and somewhat eased my nerves on the bulk of info getting ready to consume me.” — “I enjoyed this presentation. I do some of these things already but I am going to really try to use them more often while studying.”
  • Listening and Lecture Notes: Richard Bennett PhD, our Director of Admissions, helped the students understand more about the art of listening and difference between approaching studies as a graduate versus an undergraduate, including how one should approach taking lecture notes. — Student comments: ”This presentationUniversity of Charleston Physician Assistant Program Mentor-Mentee Lunch was very good. I plan on using these tips while I am listening to lecture.” — ”Very good advice, taking a lot of it to heart. Will be trying to stay ahead rather than fall behind.”
  • Mentor/Mentee Team Lunches: In our program, we have developed a mentoring program where each core faculty member is paired with 6 students. During lunch on the first day of orientation, all students had a chance to meet with their official faculty mentors and team members.
  • Other: Several other activities occurred as well, including overviews of both the on-campus and clinical curricula, medical equipment presentation, and a program director pearls session.

Spring 2013 Courses

With orientation completed, no time was wasted in getting students engaged with their studies. Below is a sampling of some of the content covered thus far in each of the seven first semester courses of their curriculum.

  • Professional Development I: Self-Reflective Physician Assistant Competencies Project, History of the Profession, Student Driven Commitment to Excellence Project
  • Patient-Centered Care I: Team Approach to Care, Patient-Centered Medical Home, Health Professions Roles and Responsibilities, and Introduction to Evidence-Based Medicine
  • Mechanisms of Disease: Health versus Disease, Cell and Tissue Structure and Function, Acute Inflammation, and Cardinal Manifestations of Disease
  • Medical Physiology: Action Potential and Synaptic Transmission, Autonomic Nervous System and the Adrenal Medulla, Neuromuscular Transmission, Muscle Physiology, Somatosensory Pathways and Physiology of Pain
  • Applied Human Anatomy: History and Physical Examination Skills Lab 
    Anatomical Sectional Overview, Anatomical Planes and Orientation/Movement Terms, and Head and Neck Anatomy
  • Clinical Pharmacology:Drug Discovery and Approval, Pharmacodynamics, Drug Receptor Interactions
  • History & Physical Examination: Overview of History and Physical, Health History and General Survey, Vital Signs, Basics of Documentation and Clinical Reasoning

As you can see, these guys have been busy.  Heading into their fourth week, they are starting to grasp what experienced Physician Assistants mean when they say that PA School is “like trying to drink from a firehose!”

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by David Payne

UC PA Program Receives Accreditation!

September 17, 2012 in UC PA Program



The ARC-PA has granted Accreditation – Provisional to the University of Charleston Physician Assistant Program.

Accreditation – Provisional is an accreditation status. The status indicates that the plans and resource allocation for the proposed program appear to demonstrate the program’s ability to meet the ARC-PA Standards, if fully implemented as planned. Accreditation – Provisional does not ensure any subsequent accreditation status. It is limited to no more than five years from matriculation of the first class.

The news came late Friday afternoon. Why is this important? In order for students to be eligible to take their national certifying examinations, they must matriculate into an accredited program. This was the last major hurdle for UC’s PA Program prior to entering its inaugural class.

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by David Payne

Physician Assistant Profession Six Core Competencies

September 14, 2012 in UC PA Program



There are six core competencies that the Physician Assistant profession has adopted: medical knowledge, patient care, interpersonal and communication skills, professionalism, practice-based learning and improvement, and systems based care. Here’s the problem… since the beginning of formalized medical education the vast bulk of emphasis has been on the first two, medical knowledge and patient care. This is a heavy train that has been moving for years. Trying to put the brakes on that structure is very challenging!

Yes, of course we need to ensure we are adequately addressing medical knowledge and patient care. However, tell me the importance of competence in either if the student is unable to connect with patients (interpersonal and communication skills). What’s the point if the student lacks professionalism and loses his or her license? They matter not if the student is not taught to be flexible and willing to reflect upon and change practice habits during this era of seemingly continuous breakthrough and constant change (practice-based learning and improvement). And who cares how much they know if they cannot understand how to work within, and help their patients navigate through, a complex health care system (systems based care)? As Physician Assistant educators, we must think deeply about how to adequately train on ALL SIX of the core competencies. For they have never been more important! And they will only grow more important as our health care system evolves.

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by David Payne

News-Line Features Program Director David Payne PA-C

June 19, 2012 in UC PA Program


Did a Q & A. It was a lot of fun. Check it out!

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by David Payne

Physician Assistant School Pearl, Focus on the Roots

April 19, 2012 in UC PA Program


There are two major approaches to learning medicine: Content-centered and principle-centered. Knowing the difference is critical. A content-centered approach may allow you to pass your courses. You may even pass the boards, get licensed, find a job, and function just well enough to perform at a basic level and stay employed. However, you will not find much satisfaction in your career, your understanding of medicine will be limited, you will consistently find yourself frustrated, and you will never be able to grow into an outstanding clinician. A principle-centered approach, on the other hand, will provide the foundation you need to truly have a remarkable career, one where you consistently feel stimulated, where you challenge yourself to develop further and further. Consequently, you will stand as a tall, full, flourishing oak of knowledge and ability.

Here’s the difference. A student who is content-centered focuses on the individual leaves of the tree while the student who is principle-centered focuses on the roots. When learning about coronary artery disease the content-centered student pulls out the list of typical symptoms and management options and tries to memorize, whereas the principle-centered student seeks deeper understanding of involved pathophysiology and fundamental pharmacology in order to make sense out of why those symptoms occur, and why we choose certain treatments over others.

When learning about physical examination the content-centered student learns the techniques so she can perform well enough to be checked off the list during her practical exams. The principle-centered student wonders why certain techniques are performed the way they are performed. She asks, “Why do I need to use a bracing finger when using an otoscope?” or “Why is it important to listen to the apex of the heart with the bell of the stethoscope while the patient is in the left lateral decubitus position?” And not only does she ask, she seeks out the answer, even though that practical exam is only going to assess whether she performs the technique correctly, not whether she understands its purpose.

There are two major advantages to choosing a principle-centered approach. The first is that when you make sense out of the material, you retain the information much better. Secondly, when you strive to understand principles, you start to see connections everywhere. Oftentimes the principles underlying one disease process or treatment approach also apply to many others. In other words, focusing on the roots allows your knowledge base to be connected to every leaf of the tree whereas focusing on the individual leaves supplies no such connection. That student who sought to understand principles during her physical examination course will learn much more once she begins her study of cardiology.

Always ask “why?” Make sure you attach meaning to everything you learn. To the extent possible, master as much physiology, pathophysiology, anatomy, basic pharmacology, and laboratory medicine possible. These are the roots. Nourish them. Before you know it, you will be enjoying the fruits of your labors.

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by David Payne

Knowing Your Patients and the Art of Medicine

March 31, 2012 in Patient Care


Art and creativity are inseparable. They are intimately connected.

In no way is it creative to simply funnel patients through, check off labs, reorder the same prescriptions, and set up the same follow-ups. But this is what can happen when a rushed internist or family medicine physician assistant sees 30 patients a day. The practice of medicine becomes more mechanical, the provider more robotic. Less time spent with patients equates to less opportunity to practice the art of medicine.

We can only become creative in medicine when we really get to know our patients, when we take the time to both develop and nurture genuine interpersonal relationships.

Practicing the art of medicine is temporarily withholding that diabetes medication for Hal because you understand him well enough to know he will be more motivated to establish an exercise routine if it means having to take less medication. Practicing the art of medicine is starting that same diabetes medication now for Janie because you understand her well enough to know her anxiety disorder will be exacerbated if nothing is initiated right away.

If you fail to know your patients, you fail to practice the art of medicine. If you fail to practice the art of medicine, then you fail period.

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by David Payne

The Most Important Thing You Can Do to Provide Excellent Care? Genuinely Care About Your Patients

March 8, 2012 in Patient Care


A few years ago I found myself talking medicine with a highly respected physician. At one point during the discussion he asked, “What’s the most important thing you can do to provide excellent patient care?” It was a deep question, but only took a moment for me to respond. “Genuinely care about the patient,” I replied. He stared off, pausing for a few moments. This was obviously not the answer he expected. Nevertheless he affirmed that I was correct. We then discussed the merits of that response.

I had no doubt it was the correct answer then, and I feel just as strongly now as I type these words. Furthermore, I don’t doubt for a moment that it is and will remain the correct answer for as long as medicine is practiced. Why? Why does genuinely caring about the patient make all the difference? An entire book could be written in answer to this question. But for the sake of this narrative, I’ll highlight the most important concept: Genuinely caring will ultimately prove to make you a better practitioner than all the medical education in the world because you will care enough to stop at nothing until you find a way to help your patients.

Take a few moments to let that really sink in. When you really care your attitude, thoughts, and actions center upon the wellbeing of the patient. The patient becomes your ultimate priority. The patient rises above the time on the clock, the personality clash you have with that colleague, and most importantly, your pocketbook. If you find yourself scratching your head about a diagnosis or the best approach to management, you’ll search and search until you can figure out what’s best, whether through evidence-based medicine resources, consulting with your supervising physician, or by contacting the local expert to discuss the case. Because the patient is paramount, you’ll spend sufficient time with your patients, the time needed to really figure out what’s going on. You’ll develop powerful relationships with your patients, sufficient to twinge their hearts to that comfort level required to open up to you. Real communication and understanding will follow, and true healing will result!

Remember this pearl forevermore. Genuinely caring is the ultimate safeguard to ensuring that you become and remain an excellent Physician Assistant. And it just so happens that it’s also what makes this profession so rewarding!

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University of Charleston Physician Assistant Program, Now Accepting Applications!

February 2, 2012 in UC PA Program

University of Charleston Physician Assistant Program

This is a very exciting time in PA Education and especially for the University of Charleston Physician Assistant program. We have been working diligently over the last several months to develop an outstanding program. I’m happy to report that we are now accepting applications. So what’s going to be so great about the UC PA Program?

Dedicated caring faculty

We have three core experienced Physician Assistant faculty members who are passionate about PA Education. Each of us has been involved in PA Education for years. Given the remarkable gift of a blank canvas with which to build a new program, we have asked ourselves from day one, “How can we do things differently? How can we do things better? What was missing in our experiences as PA students and the previous programs we’ve been a part of as educators?” Asking these fundamental questions has resulted in a creative curriculum designed with the student in mind. We are also fortunate enough to benefit from having two physicians on our team, both contributing some of their invaluable time in their capacities as Medical Director and Associate Medical Director. We will add three additional full-time faculty who will begin October this year in preparation for our inaugural class matriculating in January 2013.

Faculty led learner-centered teams

We understand that many of the most profound learning experiences come in the context of strong mentoring and collaboration in close knit groups. We have structured our program to have small class sizes and excellent faculty to student ratios so we can take advantage of this idea. Each student will be placed on a faculty-led team with around five other students. These teams will meet regularly to talk medicine and help each other become the best they can be.

Analytical thinking and problem-solving

Our curriculum will have a heavy emphasis on the meat of medicine, problem-solving! Medicine is not about memorizing facts and figures. Don’t get me wrong, there are certain things that must be memorized. But the art and practice of medicine is not about regurgitating the proper dose of an antibiotic or memorizing the three most common presenting symptoms of Cushing’s disease. Rather, it’s about having a sound understanding of fundamentals and being able to logically work through a complex set of data. It’s about appreciating the unique dynamics involved in human interaction and understanding the role they play in making clinical decisions. The focus of our curriculum will be upon learning and applying critical principles of disease and patient care. Throughout the pre-clinical phase of the program, during our Patient-Centered Care series of courses, students will be challenged by paid actors and sophisticated simulation mannequins to apply their knowledge and skill to simulated clinical situations.

Resourcefulness

Our curriculum will include a focus on training our future Physician Assistants to be exceptionally resourceful. Beginning in the first semester, students will learn to access excellent information quickly. There are several outstanding web-based tools that have been designed for clinicians to use at the point-of-care. Our students will become extremely comfortable with these tools so they can take advantage of maximizing patient care through clinical decisions that are backed by evidence.

Pass/fail credit system

The entire concept of the Physician Assistant profession is based on collaboratively working with a supervising physician. Furthermore, the entire medical industry is rapidly moving toward a model of patient-centered, team-based care. We want to reinforce this concept by communicating to our students that the patient is what truly matters, not the grade. In our program, students will be challenged to learn as much as they possibly can so they can treat patients to the best of their ability, not so they can obtain a certain grade. From day one, students will be asked to do everything they can to elevate each other to excellence, rather than striving to outperform each other. The patient is what truly matters.

Outstanding medical community

The Charleston area has an outstanding medical community. CAMC Memorial Hospital, one of the best medical centers in the Appalachian Region, sits less than a mile from campus. Even before I began my duties as Program Director, during the interview process, I could feel the enthusiasm for this program. We have been overwhelmed by how supportive everyone in the medical community has been. Medical and educational leaders from around the entire region have extended their hand in offering whatever support they can. We are confident this will result in outstanding training opportunities for our students.

Active and collaborative learning

We strongly value utilizing innovative educational techniques. We will consistently employ educational approaches that break away from the traditional lecture. There will be more learning through engaging students as active participants, and less from sitting as passive listeners. Consequently, students will retain more and feel comfortable in applying their knowledge and skills in real world settings.

Self-reflective practice portfolios

For their capstone project, students will create a self-reflective practice portfolio. Towards the end of their didactic phase, students will use several tools to perform a critical self-analysis of their knowledge, skills, and attitudes. They will identify their strengths and their weaknesses. They will then develop detailed plans of improvement where needed. Throughout their clinical year, they will continually assess their progress in overcoming their weaknesses through self-reflective practice and establish new goals and plans. This project will better prepare students to be well-rounded clinicians and will cultivate a consistent pattern of self-reflective practice that will prove to be a major strength for them throughout their careers.

If you are passionate about making a difference in the lives of others through becoming a highly competent medical practitioner, a world class education awaits you at the University of Charleston Physician Assistant Program!

curriculum  ·  admission pathways  ·  prerequisite courses
application requirements  ·  accreditation

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