Medical Studies Major and Learning Outcomes

Medical studies is the name of DeSales University’s 3+2 program that leads to a BS in medical studies and an MS in physician assistant studies. Students complete their undergraduate studies in three years, then continue in the physician assistant program for another two years. Successful completion of this 5 year program will allow the student to sit for the Physician Assistant National Certification Examination (PANCE).

The mission of the physician assistant program is consistent with the enduring Christian Humanistic traditions of DeSales University and seeks to graduate physician assistants who dedicate themselves to the total well-being of the patient. Graduates of the program will deliver competent compassionate health care including preventative services and wellness education to patients of diverse populations in a variety of settings. They will consider the patient holistically in the context of family, community, and society, and incorporate ethical principles into a patient-focused practice. They will serve their patients by using evidence-based medicine and promoting life-long learning in the profession.

Technical Standards

All students must be able to independently meet the following standards:

• General abilities - Students must possess:
  • a functional sense of vision, touch, hearing, taste, and smell in order to be able to integrate, analyze, and synthesize data in a consistent and accurate manner
  • the ability to perceive pain, pressure, temperature, position, vibration, equilibrium, and movement
• Observational abilities -Students must be able to:
  • observe demonstrations, exercises, and patients accurately at a distance and close at hand
  • note non-verbal as well as verbal signals
• Communication abilities - Students must be able to:
  • speak intelligibly
  • hear sufficiently
  • elicit and transmit patient information in oral and written English to members of the healthcare team
  • describe changes in mood, activity, and posture
  • communicate effectively and sensitively with patients
  • read at a level sufficient to accomplish curricular requirements and provide clinical care for patients
  • write or type appropriate medical documents according to protocol in a thorough and timely manner
• Sensory and Motor ability- Students must:
  • possess gross and fine motor skills sufficient to directly perform palpation, percussion, auscultation, and other basic diagnostic procedures
  • be able to execute motor movements reasonably required to provide basic medical care, such as airway management, placement of catheters, suturing, phlebotomy, application of sufficient pressure to control bleeding, simple obstetrical maneuvers, and extended standing and retraction in surgery
• Critical thinking ability -Students must:
  • be able to independently access and interpret medical histories or files
  • identify significant findings from history, physical examination, and laboratory data to provide a reasoned explanation for likely diagnoses and prescribed medications and therapy
  • recall and retain information in an efficient and timely manner
  • calculate, reason, analyze, and synthesize
  • incorporate new information from peers, teachers, and the medical literature in formulating diagnoses and plans
• Behavioral and Social Attributes - Students must:
  • possess the ability to use their intellectual capacity, exercise good judgment, and promptly complete all responsibilities attendant to the diagnosis under potentially stressful circumstances, emergency situations, and extended hours
  • be able to develop empathic, sensitive, and effective relationships with patients
  • be able to adapt to changing environments and to learn in the face of uncertainties inherent in the practice of medicine
  • be able to respond to supervision appropriately and act independently, when indicated

Non-traditional (ACCESS) Students

The medical studies major does not allow part-time studies or transfer into the program.

Academic Requirements

Admission into the medical studies major is competitive. First, the applicant must be accepted by the University. Then, Admissions refers to the PA program qualified applicants, who must interview separately with the program. If accepted as a freshman into the medical studies major, the articulation agreement guarantees a seat in the PA program without further application as long as all requirements have been met.

Language Requirements

International applicants should refer to the language requirements detailed in International Students  of the Undergraduate Catalog.