Program Goals

• Provide a quality curriculum by teaching basic sciences and a conceptual framework in the applied sciences to enable students to assimilate information and develop problem solving skills. Prepare students for primary care practice with an emphasis on the evaluation and treatment of mental and physical disorders.
• Prepare students for their uniformed services role as primary care providers in peacetime and in conflict.
• Prepare students to successfully complete requirements for certification as physician assistants.
• Prepare students to contribute to the physician assistant profession in clinical practice, research, teaching, service, and community activity.
• Provide a professional and educational foundation which graduates will use to develop a personal professional development plan while in the military, or as a civilian.
• Develop and support academic and clinical faculty as role models, educators, clinicians, and scholars.
• Support academic faculty members in their contributions to the PA profession.
• Support the development of IPAP graduates as clinicians, leaders, and scholars.
• Develop the future officers within the Uniformed Services.
• Prepare graduates to provide medical care to patients from diverse populations.
• Graduates of the IPAP will possess the knowledge and skills to accomplish the following minimum critical functions in the family practice setting:
1. Given a patient with any disease, disorder, or injury: Accurately assess and record a comprehensive history to include a chief complaint, history of present illness, past medical history, past surgical history, family history, social history, and an appropriate review of systems for any contributing symptoms to the chief complaint.
2. Given a patient with any disease, disorder, or injury: Perform both a comprehensive and problem oriented physical examination, recording both positive and negative findings appropriately, organize written notes in a standard and legible format for presentation to the supervising physician.
3. Given a history and the results of a physical examination: State the most probable diagnoses and describe the pathophysiologic process associated with each diagnosis.
4. Order, interpret, and report appropriate laboratory and radiographic findings that are necessary to present to the supervising physician for possible therapy.
5. Identify pertinent data obtained from the patient and the examination and incorporate into a problem focused plan.
6. Plan and implement appropriate primary care treatment plans and medical education, such as applicable life style changes, within the time, equipment and supply limitations of the medical facility to which assigned. Discuss and instruct patient on a treatment plan.
7. Given the results of a history, a physical examination, and appropriate laboratory and radiographic findings, for a wide variety of disease processes and injuries, determine which clinical cases may require further medical or surgical specialty consultation for diagnosis and/or treatment.
8. Formulate treatment plans that are relevant to the patient in resolution of his/her medical problem.
9. Perform patient education and counseling for patient compliance, family planning, wellness, and health maintenance.
10. Given environmental conditions or clinical cases: Identify clinical or social situations which may have public health significance and ultimately recommend and implement preventive measures.
11. Given a medical or surgical emergency: Perform an appropriate initial evaluation to stabilize and manage the patient until transferred to the care of a physician.
12. Apply clinical knowledge obtained in behavioral concepts related to health care in interpersonal relationships with patients.
13. Given raw medical data (including history and physical examination), communicate this information both orally and in writing to another health care provider, in a clear, concise, and well organized manner.
14. Demonstrate personal conduct, behavior and the professional qualities required of an officer and a health care professional. Continually evaluate one`s own performance as a physician assistant.
15. Become involved in the professional organizations that represent physician assistants on the local, state, and national level.
16. Participate in an interdisciplinary, collaborative approach in providing high quality, efficient and effective healthcare to our beneficiaries.

 

All Students will be evaluated on these program-defined learning outcomes (1-16)

How do we know we are meeting our goals?

Preceptor Feedback – The IPAP Phase 2 Clinical Coordinator and Phase 2 Committee conduct ongoing Phase 2 site visits and evaluation to ensure a high quality clinical experience and standards are met. The vast majority of clinical preceptors participating in IPAP clinical education continue to provide significant praise regarding the high level of clinical phase level of preparedness – reflecting well on the pre-clinical phase and reemphasizing that program goals are indeed being met. This is captured in the annual site visit reports as well in the Phase 2 student tracking database (MyEvals).

 

Graduate Feedback – IPAP Alumni continue to praise the program faculty & staff for setting them up well for clinical success. Feedback is received via face-to-face informal discussions with IPAP graduates during BOLC and Captain’s Career Course, as well as via Graduate Surveys.

 

Service PA Consultant Feedback – Each Service Branch has a PA Consultant, who among other duties is a leader in the PA community and advisor to the Service Surgeon General. The Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard PA Consultants have expressed their continued support of the IPAP and are satisfied that their Service PAs have been well-educated and prepared for clinical success. This feedback has been received via face-to-face discussions, email correspondence, and via PA Consultant Surveys.

 

Institutional/Stakeholder Feedback – The Academy of Health Sciences Dean has been most impressed with the sustained superior performance of IPAP, as noted in face-to-face discussions with the IPAP Program Director, Graduate School Dean, and via email traffic with above and IPAP faculty & staff. Additionally, the Interservice Training Advisory Board Service Voting Members have expressed their gratitude and congratulations for a job very well done at the ITAB meetings and via email traffic with the IPAP Program Director.

 

PANCE Performance – IPAP Graduates have a long history of performing very well on the national certification exam (NCCPA PANCE). Please see our 5-year pass rate on other page.

 

PA Program Ranking – The U.S. News & World Report 2015 issue on Graduate Schools listed IPAP as the #11 ranked PA program in the United States. For perspective, there are 196 accredited PA programs in the United States. The DOD and DHS benefit by having the largest PA program and also one that has earned a top-tier ranking.

 

Job Placement – Our students are fully employed by the Department of Defense or Department of Homeland Security throughout their 29-month educational journey at IPAP, and enjoy guaranteed PA positions within the same organizations upon successful program completion and NCCPA PANCE certification.

 

Leadership Positions – In addition to serving the healthcare needs of the greatest patient community (Active, Reserves, Guard, Retired, Veterans, and their family members), our graduates also have truly outstanding leadership opportunities around the world. Some examples are as follows:

• Squadron PA
• Carrier Strike Group PA
• Battalion Surgeon
• Brigade Surgeon
• Deputy Commander for Clinical Operations
• Clinic Officer in Charge
• Public Health Commanders
• Brigade Commander @ MTF
• Company Commander
• Flight Surgeon
• Surgeon General Consultant
• Research & Development
• White House Medical Unit
• Clinic Chief
• Dept. Head, MTF
• Director, Surgical Fellowship
• Director, Emergency Medicine Fellowship
• Faculty, IPAP
• Director, PA constituent organizations