MISSION

The primary mission of the University of North Dakota Physician Assistant Program is to prepare selected health care professionals to become clinically competent physician assistants working collegially with and under the supervision of physicians, especially in primary care in rural areas of North Dakota and other rural/underserved areas within the United States.  

With this mission, the goal is to help alleviate shortages and misdistribution of primary care providers and to provide access to comprehensive, affordable health care services to rural and underserved populations.

PHILOSOPHY

The Program’s approach to education is based on the philosophy that adult students are mature, highly motivated, and have a rich resource of past personal and professional experiences for present learning. While the faculty and preceptor serve as catalysts, learning is the responsibility of the student. The interdisciplinary teaching approach integrates previous clinical skill and knowledge utilizing multiple techniques to facilitate learning. The goal is preparation of the student as a primary care provider in a variety of settings, utilizing a problem-oriented approach to logical thinking and sound judgment.

Furthermore, the Program faculty believes that physician assistants are accountable and responsible for the quality of their practice and for life-long learning to assure their ability to continually improve the care they deliver.

Also central to the Program’s mission is the Physician/PA Student Team development.  A unique characteristic of the UND PA Program is the partnering of the student with a primary care preceptor throughout the entire clinical portion of the Program. No candidate is admitted into the Program without the agreement of  a practicing physician in Primary Care who is committed to serve as a preceptor for the length of the Program.  This team approach forms the foundation and models the physician and physician assistant relationship inherent in a primary care PA’s clinical practice.  By completing the majority of clinical experiences in the office of a practicing primary care physician, students are assured of exposure to the common primary care problems in a practice setting.  It is under the aegis and supervision of the preceptor in a one-to-one teaching relationship that the student gains clinical competencies and accomplishes role integration.  This is closely monitored and augmented by the Program faculty.

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OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the Program are to:

• Prepare clinically competent physician assistants to provide primary health care services;
• Provide an orientation to practices serving rural and/or underserved populations;
• Develop a physician assistant/physician health care team in primary care through the didactic curriculum and clinical experiences; and
• Prepare physician assistants who will serve as “role models” for future physician assistant students.

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