Saint Francis University

Clinical Curriculum

The clinical curriculum (professional phase - year 02) constitutes a full-time off-campus experience which allows students to develop their clinical skills under the supervision of physicians and other allied health personnel. The rotations, many of which are family practice oriented, are divided into nine, 5-week blocks. Each 5-week rotation period equals four credits and is composed of the following:

•Behavioral Medicine
•Emergency Medicine
•Family Practice I
•Family Practice II or Primary Care
•General Surgery
•Internal Medicine
•Women's Health
•Pediatrics
•Elective

• During rotations, students work as team members, interacting with physicians, graduate physician assistants, and other health professionals in all aspects of patient care. Students work in a variety of clinical sites, including private practices and hospitals; in a variety of settings - from rural family practices to inner-city clinics to major medical centers.

• During the clinical year, students will complete the Ethical Issues (two credits) course via distance learning.  This course will provide the student with the opportunity to understand the relationships between important ethical schools of thought and to utilize this ethical framework in the analysis of contemporary societal and medical issues.

• The clinical year students are also required to complete a Transition to Clinical Practice course (four credits). This course is designed to provide a bridge experience for the student who is completing clinical rotations by addressing issues germane to everyday PA practice. Included within this course is a capstone experience which must be completed at a satisfactory level.

• At the end of each 5-week block, students return to campus for scheduled Transition to Practice (TP) Days. Multiple activities are planned for these Transition Days, including problem-solving and review sessions, physical exam simulations, post-graduate career counseling, and end-of-rotation tests. These TP Days allow students to practice both their clinical and didactic skills and allow faculty to review their progress.

• It is strongly suggested that students complete at least one rotation in a medically under-served area.

• Although the Department faculty make the final decision concerning clinical year placement, student input is solicited on where they would like to perform their rotations.

• The majority of clinical sites are in Pennsylvania and the surrounding states, however placement at clinical sites may require travel to sites elsewhere in the United States (e.g. Florida, Arizona).

• Housing during this clinical year is the student's responsibility.

For questions concerning the clinical year please contact: Jill Cavalet, PA-C, Robert Solarczyk, MPAS, PA-C or  Tracy Wright, MPAS, PA-C

The paradigm for the clinical year is as follows: