CURRICULAR REQUIREMENTS

I. General Education Program (46 s.h. in addition to courses taken for the major)

To integrate the humanics philosophy into their lives, Springfield College students engage in the search for knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of values through a variety of courses in the sciences and humanities. In addition to those General Education courses, students must complete 6 s.h. of Writing-Across-the-Curriculum (WAC) courses. For more information see the General Education Program and WAC courses. In the major requirements listed below, selected courses which fulfill General Education categories are marked with an asterisk; selected WAC courses are marked with a “W”.

II. Preprofessional Phase Core (46 s.h.)

NOTE: Students must complete at least 240 hours of healthcare experience and 20–40 hours of physician assistant observation prior to entering the professional phase of the program.

• BIOL 121* - Bioscience I Credits: 3 s.h
• BIOL 122 - Bioscience II Credits: 3 s.h
• BIOL 123* - Bioscience I Laboratory Credits: 1 s.h
• BIOL 124 - Bioscience II Laboratory Credits: 1 s.h
• BIOL 214 - Introduction to Medical Microbiology Credits: 3 s.h
• BIOL 250 - Human Structure and Function I Credits: 3 s.h
• BIOL 251 - Human Structure and Function II Credits: 3 s.h
• BIOL 252 - Human Structure and Function I Laboratory Credits: 1 s.h
• BIOL 253 - Human Structure and Function II Laboratory Credits: 1 s.h
• CHEM 121* - General Chemistry I Credits: 3 s.h
• CHEM 122 - General Chemistry II Credits: 3 s.h
• CHEM 123* - General Chemistry I Laboratory Credits: 1 s.h.
• CHEM 124 - General Chemistry II Laboratory Credits: 1 s.h
• CHEM 211 - Organic Survey Credits: 3 s.h
• CHEM 331 - Biological Chemistry Credits: 3 s.h
• MATH 115* - College Algebra Credits: 3 s.h

• or

• MATH 125* - Precalculus Mathematics Credits: 3 s.h

• or

• MATH 215* - Probability and Statistics Credits: 3 s.h
• PAST 101 - PA Seminar I Credits: 1 s.h
• PAST 102 - PA Seminar II Credits: 1 s.h
• PAST 221 - PA Seminar III Credits: 1 s.h
• PAST 222 - PA Seminar IV Credits: 1 s.h
• PSYC 211W - Introduction to Statistics Credits: 3 s.h
• PSYC 422 - Interviewing and Counseling Credits: 3 s.h

• or

• RHDS 370 - Interviewing and Case Study Methods Credits: 3 s.h

III. Professional Phase Core (116 s.h.)

• EMSM 251 - Advanced Cardiac Life Support Credits: 1 s.h.
• PAST 512 - History Taking and Physical Assessment I Credits: 4 s.h.
• PAST 513 - Mental Health Issues in Primary Care Credits: 3 s.h.
• PAST 514 - Principles of Clinical Decision Making Credits: 1 s.h.
• PAST 515 - Human Anatomy Laboratory I Credits: 1 s.h.
• PAST 523 - Pharmacology I Credits: 2 s.h.
• PAST 521 - Applied Clinical Skills I Credits: 3 s.h.
• PAST 522 - History Taking and Physical Assessment II Credits: 4 s.h.
• PAST 533 - Pharmacology II Credits: 2 s.h.
• PAST 524 - Clinical Medicine I Credits: 6 s.h.
• PAST 525 - Human Anatomy Laboratory II Credits: 1 s.h.
• PAST 531 - Applied Clinical Skills II Credits: 3 s.h.
• PAST 532W - History Taking and Physical Assessment III Credits: 4 s.h.
• PAST 533 - Pharmacology II Credits: 3 s.h.
• PAST 534 - Clinical Medicine II Credits: 6 s.h.
• PAST 535 - Human Anatomy Laboratory III Credits: 1 s.h.
• PAST 540 - Professional Issues in PA Practice Credits: 3 s.h. 
• PAST 544 - Clinical Medicine III Credits: 6 s.h.
• PAST 543 - Pharmacology III Credits: 2 s.h.
• PAST 626 - PA Research Project Credits: 3 s.h.
• PAST 640W - PA Seminar VIII Credits: 1 s.h.
• PAST 650W - PA Seminar IX Credits: 1 s.h.
• PAST 660W - PA Seminar X Credits: 1 s.h.
• PAST 671 - Inpatient Medicine Credits: 6 s.h.
• PAST 672 - Ambulatory Medicine Credits: 6 s.h.
• PAST 673 - General Surgery Credits: 6 s.h.
• PAST 674 - Emergency Medicine Credits: 6 s.h.
• PAST 675 - Obstetrics and Gynecology Credits: 6 s.h.
• PAST 676 - General Pediatrics Credits: 6 s.h.
• PAST 677 - Psychiatry Credits: 6 s.h.
• PAST 680 - Preceptorship Credits: 6 s.h.

• RSCH 610 - Fundamentals and Methods of Research Credits: 3 s.h.
• RSCH 612 - Proposal Design Credits: 2 s.h.
• RSCH 620 - Educational and Psychological Statistics I Credits: 3 s.h.

IV. Program Minimum Technical Standards

Technical standards define the attributes considered necessary for students to possess in order to complete their education and training, and subsequently enter clinical practice. These standards are prerequisites for entrance, continuation, and graduation from the Springfield College/Baystate Health System Physician Assistant Program. Students must possess aptitude, ability, and skills in five areas: 1) observation, 2) communication, 3) sensory and motor coordination and function, 4) conceptualization, integration, and quantitation, and 5) behavioral and social attributes. These functions are critically important and must be autonomously performed by the student. It should be understood that these are standards for minimum competence in the program. More information on technical standards is available from the Office of Admissions and can be found in the Physician Assistant Program Student Handbook.

Students are required to follow the procedures and adhere to the policies of the physician assistant program as outlined in the Physician Assistant Program Student Handbook.

V. Sample Program By Year

The program listed below is a sample–courses are not guaranteed to be offered during the semester or year listed. It is the student’s responsibility to insure that all requirements are met on atimely basis and that needed prerequisite courses are completedbefore taking upper-level requirements; therefore, they should consult carefully with an advisor when planning their program.

In addition to the courses identified below, the following General Education categories need to be fulfilled for this major: Computer Science, Physical Education, Literature, Second Language/Culture, Visual and Performing Arts, History, Social Science, Social Justice, Philosophy, and Religion.

Courses marked with an * fulfill or partially fulfill a General Education category. Courses marked with a w may fulfill a Writing-Across-the-Curriculum (WAC) requirement, depending on the year taken.