The first four semesters of ODU's PA Program consist of didactic and laboratory coursework in the basic and clinical sciences, including a full semester’s course in anatomy with cadaver dissection.
Additionally, students receive instruction in basic sciences useful to better understanding of clinical medicine such as pathophysiology, genetics, microbiology and immunology.
Note that the curriculum is subject to change at the discretion of faculty.
Didactic Year Courses
15 Months / 70 Semester Hours | Credits |
Fall (Semester 1) Aug. - Dec. | |
PAS 510 The Physician Assistant Profession | 1 |
PAS 520 Gross Human Anatomy | 4 |
PAS 527 Microbiology & Immunology | 3 |
PAS 530 Physical Diagnosis I: Effective Patient Communication | 2 |
PAS 563 Medical Physiology | 2 |
PAS 566 Human Genetics | 2 |
PAS 652 Public Health & Nutritional Concepts | 2 |
Spring (Semester 2) Jan. - May | |
PAS 601 Clinical Medicine I | 7 |
PAS 630 Physical Diagnosis II | 4 |
PAS 660 Diagnostic Methods | 3 |
PAS 663 Pathophysiology | 3 |
PAS 670 Pharmacology I | 3 |
PAS 890 Experimental Clinical Preparation I | 1 |
Summer (Semester 3) June - Aug. | |
PAS 702 Clinical Medicine II: Emergency Medicine | 3 |
PAS 704 Clinical Medicine II: Women's Health & Pediatrics | 4 |
PAS 730 Physical Diagnosis III | 4 |
PAS 770 Pharmacology II | 3 |
PAS 773 Research Methods | 1 |
PAS 810 Ethics, Health Systems, Law & Policy | 1 |
PAS 891 Experimental Clinical Preparation II | 1 |
Fall (Semester 4) Aug. - Dec. | |
PAS 703 Clinical Medicine II: Surgery | 2 |
PAS 706 Primary Care Seminar | 3 |
PAS 807 Practical Clinical Skills | 4 |
PAS 830 Diverse & Vulnerable Patient Populations in Health Care | 1 |
PAS 840 Clinical Decisions | 3 |
PAS 880 Behavioral Health & Illness | 2 |
PAS 892 Experimental Clinical Preparation III | 1 |
Total Credits Required | 70 |
Didactic students are also introduced into clinical settings through shadowing and hospital experiences throughout the didactic year. Additionally, students will receive instruction in risk management and the electronic medical record (EMR) to better prepare for actual practice in a changing healthcare environment.
In the final semester of the didactic phase, students receive further hands-on training in clinical skills such as suturing, surgical knot‐tying, IV administration and access, casting/splinting, sterile technique including surgical scrubbing and gowning, advanced cardiac life support, and other clinical skills.
Students will also participate in Objective Standardized Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) as part of the physical diagnosis course and are expected to successfully pass these in order to progress to the clinical phase.