Undergraduate
Programs of Study
Preparatory Programs
- Pre-Physician
Assistant
See
http://www.provost.cmich.edu/viceprovost/forms/program1.asp
for advisor information for pre-professional programs.
Back to the list of Preparatory
Programs
For information contact the Physician Assistant Program,
774-2478.
As health professionals who are licensed to practice
medicine with physician supervision, physician assistants
provide many services that have been traditionally performed
by physicians. Physician assistants take patient histories,
conduct physical examinations, diagnose and treat illness,
order and interpret laboratory tests, perform minor surgery
and, in most states, prescribe medication.
Physician assistants work in a variety of medical settings
including emergency departments, private physician practices,
health care clinics, mental health facilities, and
hospitals. Because physician assistants can deliver care in
such diverse settings and are cost-effective members of the
traditional health care team, employment opportunities are
abundant for graduates of this master's degree program.
The
Program
The CMU physician assistant program was established to
provide physician assistants for central and northern
Michigan. However, graduates of the program are not required
to work in Michigan.
Students will complete the curriculum in 27 months. The
first 15 months are spent primarily on campus in classroom
and laboratory instruction. The remaining 12 months consist
of clinical rotations in various medical specialties.
Most rotations are conducted in central and northern
Michigan.
Prerequisites
Courses
Biology/Health Science Courses
At CMU this prerequisite is met by:
Anatomy BIO 337 OR HSC 214
Physiology BIO 392 OR HSC 215
Pathophysiology HSC 411 (which requires HSC 211 as a
prerequisite)
Chemistry Courses
General Chemistry CHM 120 and CHM 127
OR
CHM 131 and CHM 132
Organic Chemistry CHM 342
Biochemistry CHM 421
Psychology Courses
Introductory Psychology PSY 100
Developmental Psychology PSY 220
Mathematics Courses
Biostatistics HSC 544 OR BIO 500
Admission
Criteria
At the time they apply for admission to the program,
students must have completed or be near completion of an
undergraduate degree (B.A. or B.S.).
In addition, applicants must have completed a minimum of 100
hours of direct health care experience which may be obtained
through volunteer work or employment. Although indirect
patient care experiences can be valuable, clerical work
performed in a medical setting or "shadowing" a
physician assistant or physician are not acceptable direct
health care experiences.
For admission to the program, students must earn a grade
point average of 2.8 in prerequisites and overall
undergraduate academic coursework. Applicants must submit
scores of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) with
application materials.
Admission Process
Applications for the program are available each August. They
may be obtained from CMU's College of Graduate Studies, (989) 774-GRAD. Return applications must be postmarked by
November 1 to begin the following May.
The applications will be promptly reviewed by the Physician
Assistant Program Admissions Committee, and the most
qualified applicants will be invited for an interview during
November or December. Applicants will be assessed on traits
such as professional motivation, knowledge of and desire for
the physician assistant profession, academic performance
trends, interpersonal skills, diversity of life and
professional experiences, and their orientation to the
health care provider role. Candidates will be notified of
their admission status by February 28. Those who have been
accepted to the program will begin their studies in the
first summer session, which begins in May.
Accreditation
Central Michigan University is accredited by the North
Central Association of Colleges and Schools. In addition,
the physician assistant program is accredited by the
Accreditation Review Commission on Education of the Physician
Assistant.
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