Curriculum

PANCE Exam Performance Summary ↓ 

Program Competencies

  1. Medical Knowledge  
    1.1               Demonstrate knowledge of biomedical, clinical, and behavioral sciences  necessary to evaluate and manage human health and disease. 
    1.2               Apply evidence-based medicine and clinical decision-making to patient care. 
     
  2. Clinical and Technical Skills 
    2.1               Elicit an accurate patient history and perform a physical examination.
    2.2               Demonstrate technical proficiency in performing common clinical and technical  procedures. 
    2.3               Demonstrate proficiency in the selection and interpretation of diagnostic studies. 
     
  3. Interpersonal and Communication Skills 
    3.1               Communicate effectively and respectfully with patients.
    3.2               Collaborate and communicate clearly with members of the interprofessional healthcare team.
    3.3               Document a focused history and physical exam.
    3.4               Effectively communicate an oral patient presentation.
     
  4. Clinical Reasoning and Problem-Solving
    4.1               Integrate clinical data to generate differential diagnoses, demonstrate evidence-based decision-making, and formulate appropriate management plans.  
    4.2               Recognize limitations, seek guidance when appropriate, and reflect critically on clinical decision-making.  
     
  5. Professionalism and Ethical Practice 
    5.1               Demonstrate professionalism through ethical behavior, respect, integrity, and accountability.
    5.2               Commit to continuous personal and professional development and service to patients and society.

NCCPA PANCE Exam Performance Summary Report Last 5 Years

Data will become available once the program graduates its first class in 2030.

Graduation Rate

Data will become available once the first class matriculates

 

Graduated Classes

Class of 2030

Class of 2031

Class of 2032

Maximum entering class size (as approved by ARC-PA)

TBD

TBD

TBD

Entering Class Size

TBD

TBD

TBD

Graduates

TBD

TBD

TBD

*Attrition rate

TBD

TBD

TBD

**Graduation Rate

TBD

TBD

TBD

*Attrition rate calculation: Number of students who attritted from cohort (decelerated + withdrawals + dismissals) divided by the (entering class size + number joining class cohort).
**Graduation rate calculation: Number of cohort graduates divided by the (entering class size + number joining class cohort).

General Curriculum

The Physician Assistant (PA) program is a professional degree program intended to prepare students academically and professionally for responsibilities and services as a PA. The Carroll College PA curriculum is a full-time, lock-step, 27-month program leading to a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MSPAS) degree. The curriculum is organized into didactic (pre-clinical) and clinical phases. The curriculum will commence in May each year and run seven consecutive terms, with graduation occurring in August.  Pending approval for provisional accreditation, we anticipate matriculating the first cohort of 34 students in May 2028.

During the 14-month didactic phase, students review foundational concepts in the basic sciences that focus on clinical anatomy and physiology and underlying mechanisms of health and disease. In addition, students receive instruction in clinical medicine, pharmacology, medical interviewing, physical examination techniques, clinical procedures, population and community-based health, and a variety of topics related to PA professional practice. Students will develop clinical reasoning skills and incorporate evidence-based research to support clinical decision-making.  The curriculum incorporates a variety of teaching modalities that occur in the classroom, clinical laboratories, and small group seminar sessions.

Didactic coursework will include classes such as Clinical Anatomy & Physiology, Clinical Medicine, Health History & Medical Interviewing, Pharmacology, Pathophysiology, Physical Diagnosis & Diagnostic Studies, Epidemiology & Research Methodology, and Professional Practice. Clinical Skills courses with integrated lab space will also be provided.
 

The clinical phase of the program is approximately 13 months long and is designed to provide students supervised opportunities to apply their knowledge and skills in a variety of clinical settings, specialties, and sites. Students complete nine (9) Supervised Clinical Practice Experiences (SCPEs/clinical rotations), including eight (8) required rotations with one (1) elective rotation.

Prior to beginning clinical rotations, students will complete the Transition to Clinical Year course, which will help prepare students for the expectations of the clinical year and provide additional training in a variety of hands-on skills and procedures.  

Each clinical rotation is five (5) weeks long (5 credits) and requires a minimum of 40 hours per week of patient care.  Some rotations may exceed this requirement. During the clinical year, students will gain over 1800 hours of clinical training.  Students can expect to be assigned to clinical rotation sites throughout Montana and the surrounding region. The sequence of clinical courses varies from student to student, but students must successfully complete all rotations in order to be eligible for graduation.  

Students are not required to provide or solicit clinical sites or preceptors.  Student requests to arrange a clinical rotation with a particular preceptor or clinical site will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Required Rotations

  • Family Medicine
  • Inpatient (Internal) Medicine
  • Primary Care (outpatient – may include Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, or Pediatrics)
  • Pediatrics
  • Women’s Health
  • Surgery
  • Emergency Medicine
  • Behavioral Health
  • Elective

Elective Rotations

In addition to the required rotations, students will choose one elective rotation in a medical or surgical subspecialty based on their area of interest and subject to availability.  In some cases, students may be required to complete an elective rotation in a specific specialty in order to address deficiencies and/or as part of a remediation plan.  Examples of elective rotations that may be available include:

  • Cardiology
  • Critical Care
  • CT/CV Surgery
  • Dermatology
  • Endocrinology
  • Gastroenterology
  • Hematology/Oncology
  • Nephrology
  • Neurology
  • Orthopedics
  • Rheumatology
  • Urology

Students will return to campus several times throughout the Clinical Phase to participate in additional learning opportunities and skills refinement. Curricular materials will include Call Backs and Assessments, as well as other instructional materials developed by the program.