Curriculum

This module extends students’ understanding of leadership and the impact of quality and patient safety on patient care. Topics will include the impact of preventable, adverse medical events on patients and medical professionals; prepares students to identify and participate in corrective strategies that improve quality and safety throughout their practice; and develops and nurtures a culture of quality and safety that enhances patient satisfaction and quality of care outcomes. Topics within leadership will include fundamentals of leadership, leadership and professionalism self-assessment, and leadership philosophy. Learners will model professionalism skills, best leadership practices and behaviors, and handling conflict. Learners will apply this to their personal and professional life through a series of practical exercises. Prerequisites: Completion of entry-level PA program, NCCPA certification, and admission to the Bridge Program. (G)(3) Summer, Spring, Fall

This course is designed to prepare the student to apply concepts of introductory statistical analysis to health-related investigations. Skills developed in this course emphasize a systematic and scientific approach to problem solving and a process for interpreting biomedical literature. The course provides the student with instruction in descriptive and inferential statistics, properly selecting the most appropriate statistical test for a given research question and data set, conducting hypothesis testing, and constructing confidence intervals. Statistical software is used to analyze datasets that demonstrate each of the most commonly encountered statistical tests. This course will primarily focus on conducting and interpreting the results of the most commonly employed statistical methods in the most commonly used designs in health research. Prerequisites: Completion of entry-level PA program, NCCPA certification, and admission to the Bridge Program. (G)(3) Summer, Spring, Fall

This course is designed to prepare the student to apply concepts of research design to health-related investigations. Skills developed in this course emphasize a process for interpreting biomedical literature. The course will primarily focus on designs and analysis and provide an overview of the various steps of the clinical research process such as problem formulation, hypothesis generation, study design, measurement, data collection, and analysis. Prerequisites: Completion of entry-level PA program, NCCPA certification, and admission to the Bridge Program. (G)(3) Summer, Spring, Fall

The course will primarily focus on clinical quality improvement design and analysis. The class will provide an overview of the various steps of the clinical research process such as problem formulation, hypothesis generation, study design, measurement, data collection, and analysis. The course will be dedicated to applying research design and biostatistical analysis concepts. In this independent study course, the student will complete a research/ clinical project and present the results of the research or the project. Prerequisite: Completion of DMS-BR778, DMS-BR780, and DMS-BR782 (G)(5) Fall, Summer, Spring

For any additional semester after the initial Capstone Project, the student will register for a Capstone Continuation Course with a continuing service charge to maintain the students’ enrollment. At the end of each semester, students who do not finish but demonstrate progress on their Capstone will earn a DEF (deferred) grade. A student’s progress through capstone continuation may increase their total number of degree credits beyond the required credits. Prerequisite: DMS-BR784 (P/DEF/F) (G)(3) Fall, Spring, Summer