Mission, Goals, and Outcomes

Promote early and ongoing clinical decision-making skills throughout various learning experiences demonstrated in student performance in the clinical year.

Measured through: Preceptor ratings of students on clinical rotations.

Benchmark is set at 95%
Class of 2019: 95.4%
Class of 2020: 95.2%
Class of 2021: 95.4%

Create an atmosphere where integrity is valued and professionalism is expected and modeled by students during the clinical year.

Measured through: Preceptor ratings of students on rotations. 

Benchmark is set at 95%
Class of 2019: 98.1%
Class of 2020: 97.6%
Class of 2021: 98%

Recruit, select, and matriculate a population of students with a diverse set of experiences, exposures, and ideas to promote an environment of knowledge sharing and drive innovation.

Measured through: Matriculation data demonstrating that LMU-Harrogate PA student matriculants represent a diverse population.

Benchmark is set at 70%  (combination of ethnicity, over age 30, first-generation, living in an HPSA or MUA, living in population less than 9,999, and attending a school district where 50% or less go to college or college education is not encouraged, and Southern Appalachia).

Class of 2021: 89.2%
Class of 2022: 83%
Class of 2023: 77.4%
Class of 2024: 79.1%

Promote early and ongoing discussions and application of the impact of medicolegal influences on patient care throughout various learning experiences demonstrated in improved patient outcomes and mastery of this concept.

Measured through: Graduates on the preparedness survey for the LMU-Harrogate PA Program felt well prepared to provide high-quality health care to patients in part due to an understanding of the nuances of the medical and legal aspects of health care delivery.

Benchmark is set at 90%
Class of 2019: 92.8%
Class of 2020: 97.3%
Class of 2021: 94%

Create and promote an atmosphere of early and ongoing respect for patients, regardless of their disability, gender, race, culture, age, socioeconomic, sexual orientation, and physical or mental abilities, and special health care needs throughout various learning experiences demonstrated in student performance in the clinical year.

Measured through: Preceptor Evaluation of Student data on standardized rubrics rate students as well prepared to work with diverse populations, including disability, gender, race, culture, age, socioeconomic, sexual orientation, and physical or mental abilities and special health care needs populations.

Benchmark is set at 90%
Class of 2019: 97.2%
Class of 2020: 97.4%
Class of 2021: 98%

Graduates on the preparedness survey for the LMU-Harrogate PA Program felt well prepared to work with diverse populations, including disability, gender, race, culture, age, socioeconomic, sexual orientation, and physical or mental abilities and special health care needs populations.

Benchmark is set at 90%
Class of 2019: 95.2%
Class of 2020: 92.6%
Class of 2021: 94%

Upon completion of the LMU PA program in Harrogate, graduates will have proven competency in areas of medical knowledge, interpersonal communication skills, clinical reasoning, and problem-solving abilities, clinical and technical skills, and professional behaviors required for entry into PA practice:

Medical Knowledge:
a. Demonstrate the ability to access, evaluate and assimilate current medical research
b. Compose a medical research paper utilizing accepted standards for medical writing
c. Identify normal and abnormal findings on patient history and physical examination
d. Identify medical conditions based on etiologies, risk factors, pathology and epidemiology
e. Manage medical, psychiatric, and surgical conditions using pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic modes of
treatment

Clinical Reasoning and Problem-Solving:
a. Provide appropriate counseling regarding specific medical conditions
b. Develop a complete patient-centered treatment plan based upon the patients’ medical conditions
c. Correctly select and interpret laboratory tests and diagnostic study findings
d. Integrate clinical findings with diagnostic study data to formulate differential diagnoses

Clinical and Technical Skills:
a. Obtain the appropriate elements of patient histories
b. Obtain the appropriate elements of and properly perform physical examinations
c. Properly perform specific minor medical and surgical procedures

Interpersonal Communication Skills:
a. Appropriately document patient histories and physical examination findings
b. Clearly communicate pertinent patient information in oral presentations 
c. Clearly communicate patient treatment plans and preventative care recommendations
d. Demonstrate appropriate body language and active listening skills during interactions

Professionalism:
a. Demonstrate sensitivity, respect, and responsiveness to patient diversity
b. Demonstrate professionalism in interactions
c. Demonstrate respect for patient privacy and autonomy, and HIPAA policies
d. Identify indications for specialist referrals

* Members of the Dr. George Stanley Thompson PA Student Society coordinate events to serve the community and promote the PA profession each year.

* Each year PA students organize the “Sundown Rundown 5K” (formerly “Light the Night”) running race to raise funds for Servolution, the local free medical clinic.

* Members of the PA Class of 2022 participated in the interprofessional project “Social Determinants of Health” with students from the LMU Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Program, the LMU Nursing Program, and students from the South College Pharmacy Program.  Faculty facilitators from PA, Physical Therapy, D.O., Nursing, and Social Work programs assisted students in this project.

* Members of the PA Class of 2021 and PA Class of 2022 participated in the LMU Opioid Symposium.  The event was a panel discussion attended by students in PA, Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, and Nursing programs.  This was a panel discussion amongst healthcare providers, attorneys, and legislators on the dangers and risks of opioid abuse and best practices to prevent overprescribing scheduled medication. 

* Members of the PA Class of 2020 participated in an interprofessional project with students in the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Program in an interactive manikin simulation case on chest pain.   

* Members of the PA Class of 2018 participated in an inter-professional project with students in the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Program supported by the Human-Animal Bond Research Initiative (HABRI).

* Approximately 75-85% of each PA Class participates in volunteer activities, including volunteering at Servolution, the local free medical clinic, and participated in mission trips to a free medical clinic in southwestern Virginia (staffed by an LMU-SMS PA Program graduate) or are involved in international mission trips to Peru, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Guatemala.

* Over 50% of students in the Didactic Phase attend the fall conference presented by the Tennessee Academy of Physician Assistants each year.

* Over 50% of students in the Didactic Phase attend the PA Day on the Hill in Nashville, TN each spring to promote the PA profession.

* A member of the Dr. George Stanley Thompson PA Student Society serves in the Assembly of Representatives for the Student Academy of the AAPA each year.

* A member of the PA 2018 class is currently the Southeast Regional Director for the Student Board of Directors for the Student Academy of the AAPA (2017-2018).

* Continued use of Blackboard Learning platform, Zoom, Aquifer, Access Medicine cases, and MediaSite (digital recording of lectures) for delivery and review of course content.

* Continued use of B-Line (digital recording of simulated patient encounters) for formal debriefing and student self-reflection of simulated patient encounters.

* Continued use of Clinical Exam Center and Simulation Lab in all semesters of the Didactic Phase for teaching, learning by observation, and formal and summative assessment.

Delivery of the curriculum in various instructional methods to accommodate student learning needs through the use of:
* Lectures
* Faculty-led case study sessions
* Facilitated study/review sessions
* Mentorship and guidance from the Academic Remediation Specialist
* Small group projects
* Hands-on clinical skills labs with task trainers
* Teaching using high fidelity manikin simulations
* Student-led patient case presentations
* Full gross anatomy prosection lab
* OSCE sessions with written, oral and reflective components

* The current full and part-time PA faculty have over 150 years of combined clinical experience and represents the fields of family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, women’s health, urgent care, emergency medicine, occupational medicine, orthopedic surgery, gastroenterology, cardiac electrophysiology, ENT, sleep medicine, and bariatric surgery.

* An interprofessional team of basic medical science faculty provides instruction in PA courses as well as in the medical, nursing, and veterinarian programs.