The Physician Assistant Studies & Master of Public Health Dual Degree Program听offers students an opportunity to earn a Master of Public Health degree (MPH) in conjunction with training in the Physician Assistant (PA) Studies program.
The 四虎影视 Physician Assistant (PA) Studies program is a graduate entry-level professional course of study that prepares graduates for primary-care practice with emphasis on service to medically underserved populations and the team approach to the delivery of health care. The Master of Public Health (MPH) degree is an interdisciplinary graduate degree in public health that provides coursework opportunities for students to obtain broad knowledge and basic skills in public health (PH). The public health program focuses on rural and underserved populations, providing students with training in public health issues present in rural and underserved areas. Both programs integrate graduate-level critical thinking and analysis, problem solving, scientific inquiry, self-directed learning and the effective use of modern technology for professional practice that includes elements of research, leadership, education and continued enhancement of the PA and PH professions.
The purpose of the dual Physician Assistant/Master of Public Health program is to graduate highly qualified health professionals who have obtained competencies necessary to succeed in the rapidly evolving health system. The dual program prepares students to enter a wide range of PA and public health positions that address today鈥檚 most challenging population health care issues. Students are exposed to the core competencies essential for shaping local and global health systems as physician assistants and policy makers. The dual program affords individuals interested in pursuing clinical and public health training a unique opportunity to complete both degree programs in less time and save money. Students may apply their combined PA and public health skills in such areas as population or clinical research, health administration leadership and community health promotion.
Learn more about Shenandoah鈥檚 Public Health Programs:
Program Requirements
The Physician Assistant Studies program courses listed below may not be taken out of sequence. However, most of the Master of Public Health courses may be taken in any sequence (except for PH 530, PH 700 and PH 701, which have prerequisites). 听Given the rigor and structure of the PA program, students will complete most of the MPH coursework after completion of Year 3/Fall 3 in the PA program. Once the PA coursework is completed, students can continue the MPH coursework on either a full-time or part-time basis.
For both programs, a passing grade of 鈥淐鈥 or better in each course and maintenance of a 3.0 grade-point average is required for satisfactory progression and graduation. Policies regarding academic standing and graduation are contained in the graduate catalog as well as the Physician Assistant Studies and Master of Public Health听Student Handbooks.
Overlap of Credits Between Programs
The total credit overlap between the PA and MPH programs is up to 15 credits. The courses and requirements that may overlap are illustrated in the table below. The selected overlap aligns with both programs鈥 requirements and also meets accreditation standards for both programs.
Sample Course Overlap and Timing
|
Semester |
Courses |
|
Summer I |
PA 504 counts for PH Elective 1 |
|
Fall II |
Take PH 515 instead of PA 614 |
|
Spring II |
Take PH 510 (need to take both PH 510 and PH 515 in order to satisfy PA 614 requirement) |
|
Fall III |
PA 690 can count for PH 700 (if approved by PH adviser & must cover required PH competencies) Take PH 505 instead of PA 612 |
Course Sequencing
Similar to other dual PA/MPH dual degrees nationwide, this program totals 115 credits (130 credits total if the programs were completed separately).
The PA program is expected to be a full-time program spanning over the course of 30 months (eight semesters).听The MPH program requirements are expected to take students an additional two full-time semesters to complete after they finish the PA requirements. After completing PA requirements, students do have the option to complete the MPH courses on a part-time basis (with adviser approval). The suggested course sequence of how a student might complete their dual degree studies is included below.
Course Sequencing:
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
|
First Year 鈥 Summer 1 |
听 | 听 |
|
PA 504 |
Medical Physiology & Genetics |
3 |
|
PA 511 |
Introduction to the Physician Assistant Profession |
1 |
|
|
Total |
4 |
|
|
|
|
|
听First Year 鈥 Fall I |
听 |
|
|
PA 508听 |
Anatomy for Physician Assistants I |
4 |
|
PA 515 |
Medical Interview & Physical Assessment I |
2 |
|
PAL 515 |
Medical Interview & Physical Assessment Lab I |
1 |
|
PA 525 |
Clinical Medicine I |
4 |
|
PA 530 |
Diagnostic Tests & Procedures I |
1 |
|
PA 535 |
Pharmacotherapeutics I |
1.5 |
|
PA 635 |
Clinical Integration Seminar I |
1.5 |
|
PA 645 |
Professional Seminar I |
.5 |
|
|
Total |
15.5 |
|
|
|
|
|
听First Year- Spring I |
听 |
|
|
PA 509 |
Anatomy for Physician Assistants II |
4 |
|
PA 517 |
Medical Interview & Physical Assessment II |
2 |
|
PAL 517 |
Medical Interview & Physical Assessment Lab II |
1 |
|
PA 526 |
Clinical Medicine II |
4 |
|
PA 531 |
Diagnostic Tests & Procedures II |
1 |
|
PAL 531 |
Diagnostics Lab |
.5 |
|
PA 536 |
Pharmacotherapeutics II |
2.5 |
|
PA 636 |
Clinical Integration Seminar II |
2.5 |
|
PA 646听 |
Professional Seminar II |
.5 |
|
|
Total |
18 |
|
|
|
|
|
听Year 2-Summer II |
听 |
|
|
PA 513 |
Healthcare Systems and Issues in Healthcare |
1 |
|
PA 519 |
PA Clinical Skills |
1 |
|
PAL 519 |
PA Clinical Skills Lab |
1 |
|
PA 579 |
Primary Care Clinical Practicum I |
2 |
|
PH 501 |
History and Philosophy of Public Health |
3 |
| PA 507 | Neuroscience | 1 |
|
|
Total |
9 |
|
|
|
|
|
听Year 2- Fall II |
听 |
|
|
PA 527 |
Clinical Medicine III |
4 |
|
PA 532 |
Diagnostic Tests & Procedures III |
1 |
|
PA 537 |
Pharmocotherapeutics III |
2.5 |
|
PA 611 |
Humanities for the PA Profession |
2 |
|
PA 637 |
CI Case Seminar III |
1.5 |
|
PA 647听 |
Professional Seminar III |
0.5 |
|
PA 671听 |
Women鈥檚 Health |
2 |
|
PH 515 |
Epidemiology听 |
3 |
|
|
Total |
16.5 |
|
|
|
|
|
听Year 2- Spring II |
听 |
|
|
|
PA Clinical Rotations |
10 |
|
PA 600 |
Rotation Seminar I |
1 |
|
PH 510 |
Biostatistics 听 |
3 |
|
|
Total |
14 |
|
|
|
|
|
听Year 3-Summer III |
听 |
|
|
|
Clinical Rotations |
5 |
|
PA 601 |
Rotation Seminar II |
.5 |
|
PH 505 |
Social and Behavioral Aspects of Public Health |
3 |
|
|
Total |
8.5 |
|
|
|
|
|
听Year 3-Fall III |
听 |
|
|
|
Clinical Rotation |
2.5 |
|
PA 690 |
Community Preceptorship Clinical Practicum |
4 |
|
PA 603 |
Capstone Seminar |
1 |
|
PH 520 |
Health Policy and Administration |
3 |
|
|
Total |
10.5 |
|
|
|
|
|
听Year 3- Spring III |
听 |
|
|
PH 525 |
Program Planning and Implementation 听 |
3 |
|
PH 535 |
Health Communication |
3听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 |
|
PH 545 |
Public Health Perspectives on Chronic Disease |
3 |
|
|
Total |
9 |
|
|
|
|
|
听Year 4- Fall IV |
听 |
|
|
PH 530 |
Fundamentals of Program Evaluation |
3 |
|
PH 540 |
Rural Health Systems |
3 |
|
PH 550 |
Public Health Leadership and Professionalism |
3 |
|
PH 701 |
Integrated Learning Experience |
2 |
|
|
Total |
11 |
Why Should Current Students Consider This?
The mission of public health is to improve health outcomes and prevent disease and disability at a population level. The PA profession has contributed significantly by promoting public health since its inception. The PA profession was created to improve access to basic primary care, and in essence has directly contributed to the mission and goals of public health.
The value of earning a public health degree concurrently with PA training is that it provides students with a broader perspective on health and the health system from a population standpoint. Because the MPH program trains students in a core set of courses, students are trained to view health and health care delivery from a vantage point not typically taught in the medical model curriculum. Dual degree students may possess a more holistic and global perspective on health, the determinants of health, and methods to track changes in health. In addition, students who complete a full MPH program generally have more training in biostatistics and epidemiology compared to the typical PA student.
Graduates who hold degrees that qualify them as both PAs and public health professionals are well-suited to enter positions in preventative medicine and public health. 听The flexibility to pursue leadership positions in areas such as education, school health, government and non-government work, allows for greater diversification of career choices. Additionally, PAs who hold the MPH degree may find increased opportunities for international work. For example, many countries do not recognize the PA credential, but do recognize public health training from an accredited school of public health. Thus the MPH degree may open up international career options that would not otherwise be available.
Lastly, there are cost and time savings realized by completing the two degrees together instead of as two separate degree programs. With up to 15 credits of overlap, students could save approximately $13,000 and one year of time by completing them concurrently as part of a dual degree program.
Admissions Criteria and Process for Dual PA/MPH Program
Current PA students should apply no later than the spring semester of their first year. Admitted PA students can apply prior to beginning their first year in the PA program, but will not begin MPH coursework until their second year in the PA program.
Students should follow all application requirements outlined on the Graduate Public Health Admissions site.