Mission of the DAEMEN COLLEGE
Physician Assistant Program
DESCRIPTION OF THE PROFESSION
Physician Assistants are licensed health practitioners qualified by academic
and clinical experience to practice medicine or deliver medical services
with the supervision and direction of a licensed physician who is responsible
for the performance of that Physician Assistant (PA). The Physician Assistant
may be involved in providing health care services in a wide variety of medical
care settings with the supervision, but not necessarily in the presence
of a physician. The role of the Physician Assistant and his/her functions
vary with his/her own individual capabilities and the specific needs of
the employing physician or institution. The practice setting in which the
PA works also varies according to the community in that he/she lives and
practices.
The Physician Assistant is generally responsible for the following
duties:
- Eliciting a detailed and accurate medical history, performing a complete
physical examination and recording all pertinent data.
- Performing, ordering and/or interpreting routine diagnostic studies,
including routine laboratory procedures, common radiological studies, electrocardiograph
tracings and Pap smears.
- Performing therapeutic procedures, including injections, immunizations,
wound care, suturing, incision and drainage of superficial infections, insertion
of nasogastric and bladder catheters, cast application and follow up of
simple fractures.
- Counseling patients regarding physical and mental health, including diet,
disease prevention, normal growth and development and family planning.
- Assisting the physician in inpatient settings by performing patient rounds,
recording patient progress notes and determining and implementing therapeutic
plans.
- Assisting in the delivery of services to patients requiring continuing
care, i.e., at home, skilled nursing homes and extended care facilities.
- Facilitating the appropriate referral of patients and maintaining awareness
of existing health delivery systems and social welfare resources.
MISSION OF THE PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT PROGRAM
The mission of the Daemen College Physician Assistant Program is to educate
capable individuals to meet the challenges of providing quality health care services
with the supervision of a licensed physician.
Objectives
The specific objectives of the program are to:
- Educate the student to function as a competent, compassionate and dedicated
physician assistant with the ability to effectively access, evaluate, and apply relevant
and valid information using a variety of
information resources.
- Graduate the student with the requisite medical knowledge to pass the national certification examination.
- Sensitize the student to the diversity of health care needs and the impact of socioeconomic factors on health care and its availability.
- Educate the student with the intent of having him/her provide health care services in medically underserved areas or to underserved populations.
- Foster in each student a desire to pursue medical education as a continuous and lifelong process.
The professional curriculum (upper division) of the Physician Assistant Program
is three years in duration and affords each student an understanding of the medical
sciences and their application to clinical situations. The first two years are devoted
to didactic work in the basic sciences, clinical medicine, professional issues, and the
psychosocial aspects of health care delivery. The student spends the third year on clinical
clerkships in various teaching hospitals, clinics and physician offices.
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