Program Mission, Competencies & Goals

Medical Knowledge (MK): Apply current and developing knowledge of biomedical and clinical sciences to patient cases. 

1. Apply the principles of epidemiology, etiology, risk factors, pathophysiology, treatment strategies including available resources, and disease prevention/health promotion efforts to illnesses affecting groups and individuals.  
2. Apply principles of clinical sciences to help diagnose disease and utilize therapeutic decision-making, clinical problem-solving, and other evidence-based practice skills in patient care. 
3. Apply understanding of pharmacology to manage patient medications. 
4. Demonstrate an understanding of medical research and evidence-based medicine as it applies to clinical practice. 
5. Distinguish between acute, chronic, and emergent disease presentations among individual patients. 
6. Understand published medical guidelines for disease processes and their application to patients of all ages and backgrounds. 
7. Share the indications, contraindications, and complications associated with common procedures performed by physician assistants with patients and families. 

Interpersonal & Interprofessional Skills (IP): Facilitate communication and collaboration with patients and families, as well as other members of the healthcare team, while employing empathy and respect and adapting to the current context.

1. Communicate the findings of a patient encounter to colleagues through written documentation (including electronic medical records) and oral presentation in a complete, accurate, effective, objective, and culturally sensitive manner.  
2. Provide clear, empathetic, and respectful education and counseling to patients regarding their condition, treatment, expected outcomes, and preventative measures.  
3. Adapt communication to the current context, acknowledging effects of bias and diversity. 
4. Communicate and document in a timely manner, working to minimize errors and maximize clarity and organization. 

Clinical and Technical Skills (TS): Perform required elements of a patient visit, including history, physical exam, medical procedures, prescriptions, orders, and documentation.

1. Communicate effectively to obtain a complete, accurate, and relevant medical history in patients across the life span. 
2. Perform a focused or complete accurate physical exam, recognizing normal and abnormal findings.
3. Document clinical information in an accurate, complete, and succinct manner.
4. Develop required computer skills and utilize technology to aid with patient diagnosis and treatment decisions. 
5. Perform and/or assist common medical procedures in clinical practice and within the scope of physician assistants, with appropriate supervision if required.
6. Write accurate and complete medication prescriptions and orders.
7. Maintain standard precautions throughout all patient encounters and environments.

Clinical Reasoning & Problem Solving (CR): Formulate a thorough differential diagnosis, generate a final diagnosis, and formulate a patient-centered management plan through synthesis of patient information and medical guidelines and literature. 

1. Differentiate the pertinent elements of a patient’s history, physical findings, and testing.  
2. Assess for possible urgent, emergent, and life-threatening causes of the patient’s condition with special attention to red flags.  
3. Organize the information from patient interview and physical examination to formulate a thorough differential diagnosis. 
4. Order appropriate diagnostic studies and correctly interpret the results. 
5. Generate a final diagnosis (or diagnoses) after careful consideration of the patient’s history, physical, testing, and differential diagnoses. 
6. Compare potential treatment options for a patient’s condition and choose the most appropriate treatment based on a multitude of factors including risks and benefits to the patient, evidence-based medicine, financial burden, availability, and patient preference. 
7. Incorporate evidence-based medicine into medical decision making utilizing best practices and self-evaluate performance for improvement. 

Professional Behaviors (PB): Conduct interactions in a respectful and professional manner, acting ethically and legally with empathy, integrity, and sensitivity, and demonstrating initiative and responsiveness to others. 

1. Understand the legal and regulatory demands of licensed practicing physician assistants. 
2. Demonstrate respectful professional relationships in interactions with others. 
3. Act with empathy, integrity, and sensitivity with the ability to justify decisions utilizing ethical principles.  
4. Understand limitations and appropriately respond to performance feedback. 
5. Develop a balance between professional and personal commitments, recognizing personal biases and knowledge gaps. 
6. Take initiative to participate in patient care and seek further growth. 
7. Demonstrate punctuality and responsiveness to the needs of others, being an active member of the healthcare team.  

Healthcare Finance & Systems (HF): Support and advocate for positive patient experience through knowledge of healthcare finance and systems including patient cost, legal and regulatory requirements, billing and coding, and system biases and burden. 

1. Formulate a treatment plan with awareness of patient cost, system burden, and availability without compromising quality or safety. 
2. Explain the parties involved in healthcare delivery and the role of a physician assistant, including the collaborative physician relationship. 
3. Understand the differences between private insurance and government insurance plans, as well as differences in healthcare systems in the US and internationally. 
4. Proficiently complete medical billing and coding training.  

Society and Population Health (SH): Demonstrate concepts of disease prevention and appraise factors that influence patient interactions and compliance as well as the public health system.  

1. Assess the influences of psychosocial and cultural factors on health, disease, provider visits, and medical compliance by applying concepts of community health and social-behavioral health. 
2. Identify the genetic, social, economic, environmental, and other factors affecting the health of individuals and their communities. 
3. Participate in the improvement of the health of the local population by dedicating a portion of their time to helping the underprivileged.  
4. Collaborate with other health care professionals to participate in public health awareness and interventions. 
5. Understand the fundamental principles of epidemiology in patient care. 

Goal 1: Matriculate highly qualified students from diverse backgrounds. 

• Outcome 1.1: Continual data collection, monitoring and analysis of admissions processes with an emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
  • Benchmark Goal: Highly qualified is defined as continually meeting or exceeding program admission requirements.
  • Benchmark Goal: Diverse background statistics of each cohort aim to exceed our local county population statistics regarding diversity per census website.
    • Goals for the incoming student cohort diversity percentage to exceed the local population statistics regarding race and origin. (view census data)
    • Diversity Initiative: Ongoing monitoring of admission process for inclusive admission strategies.  
      • The program does not require the GRE (Graduate Record Exam) to increase the number of underrepresented minorities (URMs) applying.
      • The program will use a virtual interview strategy, at least once an application cycle, when possible, in addition to in-person interviews, allowing students who otherwise would not be able to travel from a long distance to campus to interview and be potentially selected for admission.

Goal 2: Provide an innovative curriculum that empowers students to gain the knowledge, skills, and competencies necessary to provide patient-centered care as entry-level PAs.

• Outcome 2.1: PA Program PANCE (Physician Assistant National Certification Examination) pass-rates at or above the 90% first-time pass rate and above the national average program pass rate percentage.
  • Benchmark Goal: (90% or above first time PANCE pass rate, and above national average PANCE pass rate annually with each cohort)
• Outcome 2.2: Summative Evaluation (Summative Evaluation pass-rate of 100%)
  • Benchmark Goal: Each cohort will successfully complete Didactic and Clinical Summative courses with a grade of B or higher cumulatively with a pass rate of 100%.
• Outcome 2.3: Student perception of the didactic phase allowing them to meet PA program competencies for graduation
  • Benchmark Goal: Student perception of the didactic phase curriculum rated of at least 3.5 on a 5-point Likert scale.
• Outcome 2.4: Student perception of clinical phase allowing them to meet the PA program  competencies for graduation. 
  • Benchmark Goal: Student perception of the clinical phase curriculum rated of at least 3.5 on a 5-point Likert scale.
• Outcome 2.5: Preceptor perception of PA program curriculum and competencies in training students.
  • Benchmark Goal: Preceptor perception of PA program curriculum and competencies in training students rated at least a 3.5 on a 5-point Likert scale.

Goal 3: Enable graduates to enter practice with a high degree of satisfaction in their education while feeling supported being a student.

• Outcome 3.1: PA program Exit Survey demonstrating a high degree of graduate satisfaction.
  • Benchmark Goal: PA program Exit Survey will demonstrate that graduates will have a high degree of satisfaction in their PA education rated at least 3.5 on a 5-point Likert scale.
• Outcome 3.2: Improvements in PA student access and awareness of Graduate student support resources on campus. Initiatives such as the university creation of an BEAR Central (Belonging, Equity, Access and Retention) and Student Support & Outreach program for undergraduate and graduate students at LRU (Lenoir Rhyne University) maximizing success and providing aid when needed. PA program creation of a student success program/initiative to promote students excelling and minimizing attrition with comprehensive orientation, PA pre-matriculation program, and university Graduate School resources and student success initiatives.
  • Benchmark Goal: Student ratings of the university graduate school resources and PA program student success initiatives including orientation, pre-matriculation program, and PA program student success program rated helpful and having the knowledge of these available resources on campus rated 3.5 on a 5-point Likert scale.

Goal 4: Develop students that demonstrate ethical and professional behaviors.  

• Outcome 4.1: Student will be rated highly on Summative OSCEs and simulations rubrics regarding ethical and professional behaviors scores. 
  • Benchmark Goal: Students will score 85% or greater on Summative OSCEs (objective structured clinical examinations) and simulations rubrics regarding ethical and professional behaviors scores on these rubrics. 
• Outcome 4.2: Student will be rated highly on preceptor evaluations regarding ethical and professional behaviors scores. 
  • Benchmark Goal: Students will score 85% or greater on preceptor evaluations regarding ethical and professional behaviors scores on these evaluations.  
• Outcome 4.3: Student will be rated highly on professionalism development assessment tool throughout the program. 
  • Benchmark Goal: Students will score 85% or greater on professionalism development assessment tool during the program and 90% or greater at the end of the PA program. 

Goal 5: Support students in developing patient-centered care that is equitable and empathetic to all.

• Outcome 5.1: Student will be rated highly on Summative OSCEs and simulations regarding providing equitable and empathetic patient-centered care to all.
  • Students will receive training on patient-centered care throughout the program with case studies and simulations.
  • Benchmark Goal: Students will score 85% or greater on rubrics during Summative OSCEs and simulations regarding equitable and empathetic patient-centered care.
• Outcome 5.2: Student will be rated highly on Preceptor evaluations regarding providing equitable and empathetic patient-centered care.
  • Benchmark Goal: Students will score 3.5 or greater on Likert scale regarding Preceptor evaluations regarding providing equitable and empathetic patient-centered care.
• Outcome 5.3: Self-Reflection Papers
  • Self-Reflection Paper during Didactic year about student’s experiences at the Greater Hickory Area Cooperative Christian Ministry (CCM) clinic.
  • Self-Reflection Paper during the clinical year explaining inequities witnessed and demonstrated acts of equitable and empathetic care given while participating in supervised clinical experiences.
  • Benchmark Goal: Students will demonstrate evidence of understanding patient-centered care that is equitable and empathetic service to all patients in all aspects of care as demonstrated in Self-Reflection Paper scoring 80% or greater on these sections of the paper.
• Outcome 5.4: Students will demonstrate empathy based on empathy questionnaire.
  • Benchmark Goal: Students will score at average or above average levels of empathy using empathy questionnaire.

Goal 6: Engage students in regular inter-professional experiences and community-based educational activities.

• Outcome 6.1: Students will participate in IPE (Interprofessional Education) activities with nursing and potentially counseling and occupational therapy through the CHS (College of Health Sciences) IPE exercises, through LR Clinic at Cooperative Christian Ministries, and potentially through IPE events at CVCC (Catawba Valley Community College) Sim-Valley Hospital. Student hours participating in these events will be documented each semester. Students will evaluate these experiences through surveys evaluating student perception of IPE competency and self-reflection papers.
  • Benchmark Goal: Survey of student perceptions of their IPE competency and IPE events will be evaluated by survey scoring at least 3.5 on a 5-point Likert scale regarding the benefits of IPE activities.
  • Benchmark Goal: Student self-reflection of IPE activities should demonstrate understanding of professional roles with 100% of class passing these assessments with a score of B’s or greater.
• Outcome 6.2: Preceptor Evaluations will reflect student knowledge of and ability to work collaboratively with other healthcare professionals in a team approach.
  • Benchmark Goal: Preceptor Evaluations will reflect student knowledge of and ability to work collaboratively with other healthcare professionals in a team approach of at least a 4 on a 5-point Likert scale.
• Outcome 6.3: Students will self-assess themselves during PA Program Exit Survey regarding their comfort level while working collaboratively with other health professionals.
  • Benchmark Goal: Students will rate their comfort level of working collaboratively with other health professionals of at least a 4 on a 5-point Likert scale.