Physician Assistant Learning Outcomes (Graduate Competencies)

Students of the CUNY School of Medicine Physician Assistant Program will be expected to demonstrate competency essential to PAs entering clinical practice. The CUNY School of Medicine Physician Assistant Program expects achievement of the program learning outcomes (graduate competencies) by each student of the program. The program uses achievement of these learning outcomes as metrics for student competency and program effectiveness. Each course syllabi will guide the student through the assessment modalities utilized by the program to determine competency in the domains of medical knowledge, interpersonal skills, clinical and technical skills, professional behaviors, and clinical reasoning and problem-solving abilities.

The following are the program learning outcomes (graduate competencies) for the CUNY School of Medicine Physician Assistant Program. Prior to graduation from the program, students will:

PLO-1. Integrate behavioral, social, and medical knowledge established from the evolving biomedical and clinical sciences in recognizing, evaluating, and managing patient disease states across the lifespan during acute, chronic, preventative, and emergent encounters.

PLO-2. Demonstrate the interpersonal and communication skills required to sustain effective, multi-directional information exchange within a diverse population of patients, their caregivers, and members of the healthcare team.

PLO-3. Demonstrate the ability to elicit an accurate patient history, perform an appropriate physical examination, and perform appropriate clinical procedures using essential clinical and technical skills to provide quality patient care. 

PLO-4. Collaborate effectively as part of an interdisciplinary healthcare team through clinical reasoning and problem-solving skills to formulate a logical differential diagnosis, select and interpret appropriate diagnostic studies, and synthesize a comprehensive, patient- centered management plan for the promotion of wellness and disease prevention.

PLO-5. Demonstrate the ability to interpret and integrate an evidence-based approach to clinical and professional practice through clinical reasoning, problem- solving, and decision-making processes to improve patient care practices.

PLO-6. Demonstrate professionalism through personal behaviors, sensitivity, and accountability essential to patients, society, and the profession.