Physician Assistant Studies

Nikki Katalanos, Ph.D., PA-C, Director
The University of New Mexico School of Medicine
Department of Family and Community Medicine
MSC09 5040
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
(505) 272-9678
e-mail: paprogram@salud.unm.edu

For more information about the PA profession and programs contact:
American Academy of Physician Assistants
950 North Washington Street
Alexandria, VA 22314-1552
Phone: (703) 836-2272
FAX: (703) 684-1924
Web site: http://www.aapa.org

New Mexico Academy of Physician Assistants
Web site: http://www.nmapa.org

For information on financial aid contact:
The Office of Student Financial Aid
Allied Health Financial Aid Coordinator
The University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-2081
(505) 272-8008

The Physician Assistant Profession

Physician Assistants (PAs) are health professionals licensed to practice medicine with physician supervision. PAs are qualified by graduation from an accredited Physician Assistant educational program and certification by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants. Within the physician/PA relationship, PAs exercise autonomy in medical decision-making and provide a broad range of diagnostic and therapeutic services. The clinical role of PAs includes primary and specialty care in medical and surgical practice settings in rural and urban areas. Physician Assistant practice is centered on patient care and may include educational, research and administrative activities.

Physician Assistant Studies Program

The PA program’s mission is to educate Physician Assistants to practice primary care in medically underserved and rural areas of New Mexico.

This is a program housed in the Department of Family and Community Medicine within the School of Medicine. Instruction is provided by various departments and faculties of the Health Sciences Center. The professional curriculum is based on the principle of problem-based learning in small group tutorials. The program is 27 months in length and consists of didactic and clinical instruction. Students can expect to have clinical clerkships in rural and underserved areas of New Mexico. A Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies degree will be awarded upon successful completion of the curriculum. Entry into this program is very competitive.

Program Accreditation Status

The program has been fully accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant since 1999. Graduation from an accredited program is required to sit for the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants exam.

Program Prerequisites

Applicants must have a B.A./B.S. degree or higher and the Graduate Record Exam by the August 1 application deadline. They must complete all prerequisites prior to the application deadline and receive a grade of C or higher. A minimum gradepoint average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, calculated on the most recent 60 college credits, as well as a science grade point average of 3.0, calculated on the science prerequisites and highly recommended science courses, are required. Course numbers listed below refer to the University of New Mexico courses.

Science:
BIOL 123 and BIOL 124L	General Biology with lab	4
CHEM 121 and CHEM 123L and CHEM 122 and CHEM 124L or CHEM 131L and CHEM 132L	General Chemistry with lab	8
BIOL 237, 247L and BIOL 238, 248L	Human Anatomy and Physiology I & II for the Health Sciences with lab	8
Psychology		3
Mathematics:
STAT 145	Introduction to Statistics	3
-or-
PSY 200	Statistical Principles
Communication Skills: (all English courses must be taken in the U.S.)
English (writing or literature)		6

Highly Recommended for All:

Regional language
Biochemistry
Organic chemistry
Integrated organic and biochemistry
Nutrition
Microbiology
Genetics

Clinical/Community Experience

We strongly recommend that applicants have worked a minimum of six months in either a patient care setting or a significant community care environment. Hands-on patient care experience is preferred.

Application for admission is made through the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) at https://portal.caspaonline.org. The application and all supporting documents must be received at CASPA by the August 1 application deadline each year for the class starting the following June. Applicants are encouraged to check the status of their CASPA application on a weekly basis. Apply early as CASPA may take up to five weeks to verify and process the application.

For questions or technical assistance call CASPA at (617) 612-2080, Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm eastern time or email to caspainfo@caspaonline.org. The University of New Mexico Physician Assistant Program will send a supplemental application after the CASPA application is submitted, if all requirements are met. A separate application to The University of New Mexico is required upon acceptance into the program, if not currently enrolled. Admission to the Physician Assistant Program is based on evaluation of those applicant qualities and experiences which advance the program’s mission. For this reason residents of New Mexico are given primary consideration for admission. The criteria for evaluation also include academic and personal record, letters of recommendation and, if selected, a personal interview.

PA Program Professional Curriculum

Summer		Credits
PAST 501	FMS I Population Health	1
PAST 502	FMS I Foundations of Research Methodology	1
PAST 535	Clinical Seminar I	1
PAST 540	ICM I Dermatology	2
PAST 541	ICM I Orthopedics	2
		7
Fall
PAST 510	FMS I Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine I	2
PAST 515	FMS I Adult & Geriatric Medicine I	2
PAST 520	FMS I Pharmacology I	2
PAST 530	FMS I Clinical Skills I	2
PAST 536	Clinical Seminar II	1
PAST 542	ICM I Human Structure, Function and Development	4
PAST 543	ICM I Mechanisms of Disease- Genetics and Neoplasia	2
PAST 544	ICM I Mechanisms of Disease- Infection & Immunity	2
		17
Spring
PAST 513	FMS II Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine II	1
PAST 514	FMS III Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine III	1
PAST 518	FMS II Adult & Geriatric Medicine II	1
PAST 519	FMS III Adult & Geriatric Medicine III	1
PAST 523	FMS II Pharmacology II	1
PAST 524	FMS III Pharmacology III	1
PAST 531	FMS II Clinical Skills II	1
PAST 537	Clinical Seminar III	1
PAST 545	ICM II Neurosciences	4
PAST 547	ICM II CV-Pulmonary-Renal	4
		16
Summer
PAST 560	Clerkship Family Medicine	3
PAST 562	Clerkship Pediatrics	3
		6
Fall
PAST 525	FMS IV Emergency Medicine	2
PAST 527	FMS IV Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine IV	2
PAST 529	FMS IV Adult & Geriatric Medicine IV	2
PAST 532	FMS III Clinical Skills III	1
PAST 533	FMS IV Pharmacology IV	2
PAST 550	ICM III GI/Nutrition/Metabolism	4
PAST 552	ICM III Human Sexuality, Reproduction, Endocrine	4
		17
Spring
PAST 564	Clerkship Emergency Medicine	3
PAST 561	Clerkship Women's Health & Prenatal Care	3
PAST 563	Clerkship Behavioral Medicine-Psychiatry	3
PAST 565	Clerkship General Internal Medicine	3
PAST 566	Clerkship Elective	1
PAST 600	Program to Practice	2
		15
Summer
PAST 568	Clerkship Surgery	3
PAST 575	Clerkship Primary Care	5
		8
PAST 610	Independent Study	1-14 possible credits
	Clerkship and preceptorship credits	27
	Professional curriculum credits	59
	Total semester credits	86