Yale Physician Assistant Online Program Student Competencies
Medical Knowledge
Medical knowledge includes an understanding of pathophysiology, patient presentation, differential diagnosis, patient management, surgical principles, health promotion and disease prevention. The graduate must demonstrate core knowledge about established and evolving biomedical and clinical sciences and the application of this knowledge to patient care. In addition, physician assistants are expected to demonstrate an investigatory and analytic thinking approach to clinical situations.
Program graduates are expected to:
- Elicit a detailed and accurate patient history, taking into consideration the influence of culture, ethnicity, educational and socioeconomic backgrounds.
- Perform the appropriate physical examination on patients of all ages.
- Order and interpret appropriate diagnostic tests as indicated by history and physical examination results.
- Formulate an accurate differential diagnosis based on patient history, physical examination, and results of diagnostic testing.
- Understand etiologies, risk factors, underlying pathologic process, and epidemiology for medical conditions.
- Identify signs and symptoms of medical conditions.
- Utilize clinical reasoning and diagnostic thinking in gathering clinical information and applying to the development of a differential diagnosis.
- Select and interpret the results of common laboratory, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.
- Know the indications, contraindication, side effects, and interactions for common pharmaceuticals used in the treatment of patients.
- Identify appropriate interventions for prevention of conditions.
- Identify the appropriate screening methods to detect conditions in an asymptomatic individual.
- Treat minor emergencies and perform evaluation and treatment procedures necessary to provide an appropriate response to life-threatening emergencies.
Interpersonal & Communication Skills
Interpersonal and communication skills encompass verbal, nonverbal and written exchange of information. The graduate must demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills that result in effective information exchange with patients, patients’ families, physicians, professional associates, and others in the health care system.
Program graduates are expected to:
- Use effective listening, nonverbal, explanatory, questioning, and writing skills to elicit and provide information.
- Appropriately adapt communication style and messages to the context of the individual patient interaction.
- Work cooperatively with other professionals as a member of a team; utilize the expertise of other professionals and experts as appropriate in the care of patients.
- Demonstrate personal integrity, honesty, and self-discipline; and behave in a responsible, reliable, and dependable manner.
- Record accurate, concise admission, transfer, and progress notes.
Patient Care: Clinical and Technical Skills
Patient care includes age-appropriate assessment, evaluation, and management. The graduate must demonstrate care that is effective, patient-centered, timely, efficient, and equitable for the treatment of health problems and the promotion of wellness.
Program graduates are expected to:
- Obtain an organized and accurate history, tailored to the setting. Consistently use patient-centered questioning. Collect secondary information sources when appropriate. Perform a physical exam, using proper technique, in a fluid sequence. Correctly identify and interpret common abnormal findings.
- Collect essential, accurate and evidence based information about patients through history-taking, physical examination, and diagnostic studies to provide patient-centered care.
- Apply knowledge of mechanisms of diseases process to evaluation of patients in clinical settings
- Formulate an understanding of the approach to diagnosis and treatment of disease.
- Consistently apply scientific principles to a range of common clinical scenarios.
- Construct and prioritize a patient problem list. Incorporate patient history and physical exam findings, along with laboratory and imaging data to weight differential diagnostic possibilities.
- Evaluate and interpret the most current scientific evidence to formulate a diagnosis, develop and implement patient management plans, provide preventative care, and promote individual wellbeing.
- Assess engagement in health promotion, disease, and prevention strategies with patients and aid them in modification of risk and in receiving recommended screenings.
- Demonstrate proficiency in routine therapeutic procedures such as IM injections, IV placement, phlebotomy, suturing, urinary catheterization placement and removal, and nasogastric tube placement and removal.
Professionalism
Professionalism is providing care with respect, compassion, and integrity with a commitment to excellence and ongoing development.
Practice-Based Learning and Improvement
Practice-based learning and improvement includes the processes through which clinicians engage in critical analysis of their own practice experience, medical literature, and other information resources for the purpose of self-improvement. The graduate must be able to assess, evaluate and improve their patient care practices.
Program graduates are expected to:
- Analyze practice experience and perform practice-based improvement activities using a systematic methodology in concert with other members of the health care delivery team.
- Recognize and appropriately address gender, cultural, cognitive, emotional, and other biases; gaps in medical knowledge; and physical limitations in themselves and others.
- Interpret the medical literature and utilize it to guide evidence-based clinical practice.
Systems-Based Practice
Systems-based practice encompasses the societal, organizational, and economic environments in which health care is delivered. The graduate must demonstrate an awareness of and responsiveness to the larger system of health care to provide patient care that is of optimal value.
Program graduates are expected to:
- Use information technology to support patient care decisions and patient education.
- Effectively interact with different types of medical practice and delivery systems.
- Understand the funding sources and payment systems that provide coverage for patient care.
- Accept responsibility for promoting a safe environment for patient care and recognizing systems-based factors that negatively impact patient care.
- Apply medical information and clinical data systems to provide more effective, efficient patient care.
- Provide assistance in the delivery of services to patients requiring continuing care in such facilities as home and extended care facilities.