Academics
The required physician assistant curriculum for the master’s degree is designed to be completed in 27 months. This is the physician assistant curriculum you can expect to follow:
Didactic Year
56 total credit hours
During the didactic year, the curriculum is ordered by each major organ system. This integrative teaching aids students to master each system, and to gain additional understanding of the interactive nature of medicine. The didactic year consists mainly of lectures, small group discussions, labs, and other hands-on learning.
Clinical Year
60 total credit hours
The clinical year consists of ten supervised clinical practice experiences (SCPEs) or clinical rotations. Each rotation is arranged and assigned to our students by our Director of Clinical Education and our clinical staff. Students may request specific types of rotations and/or specific sites for their electives, but are not guaranteed to receive them. Most clinical sites are located within one hour travel of Wingate or Hendersonville campus locations. Occasionally, students may be assigned to a site located outside of this radius, and will be responsible for all costs associated with this arrangement. Students may also choose to coordinate elective rotations in other states or abroad. Students must work with the Director of Clinical Education to ensure rotations meet accreditation standards. Students are responsible for all costs associated with specialty rotations. PA students, prospective or enrolled, will not be required to obtain or solicit clinical sites or clinical preceptors. If a student would like to request a clinical rotation with a known site or preceptor, they are to notify the Director of Clinical Education.
During the final semester of our program, students focus on completing their final rotation, their capstone project, a comprehensive written exam, and an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). During the OSCE, students interact with a series of patient simulations in stations that involve history taking, physical examination and patient management.
- Fall Semester: 15 weeks
- Spring Semester: 16 weeks
- Summer Semester: 11 weeks
- Fall Semester: 15 weeks
- Supervised Clinical Professional Experiences (SCPE)
Fall Semester: 15 weeks
Spring Semester: 16 weeks
Summer Semester: 11 weeks
Fall Semester: 15 weeks
Supervised Clinical Professional Experiences (SCPE)
Wingate University PA Program supports a culture of learning and sharing information gained through practice among clinical year students:
- Two elective rotations in the clinical year provide students with unique opportunities for student learning and practical experience in a medical field of interest which build upon the knowledge and skills gained in the didactic year and in completed required clinical rotations. At the end of the Elective I experience, clinical students present interesting cases, in Grand Rounds format, to program faculty and peers that highlight evolving areas and new trends in medicine.
- A culminating Capstone Project, requires students to apply knowledge and skills obtained throughout their graduate studies to identify and critically analyze quality improvement initiatives in healthcare aimed at improving the effectiveness and reliability of health processes and outcomes. Students present an oral summation of their Capstone Project to both peers and Wingate PA faculty in their final semester.
Successful completion of the above culminates in Commencement and sitting for the national certification examination. You’re one step closer to achieving your dream and entering the profession!
Contact Us
Wingate Campus
(704) 233-8051
pa@wingate.edu
Hendersonville Campus
(828) 309-0609
pahendersonville@wingate.edu