About the Program
OFFICE INFORMATION
113 Monroe Lecture Center
Phone: (516) 463-4074
Fax: (516) 463-5177
E-mail
CHAIR
Professor Robert Seagull
0228 Gittleson Hall
Phone: (516) 463-5267
Fax: (516) 463-5122
E-mail
Welcome to the Physician Assistant Studies Program website.
Our program consists of two parts. The first part is termed the Pre-Professional Phase, wherein students attend two years of collegiate instruction in prerequisite courses at the University. Students apply to the program during the second year of the Pre-Professional Phase, and if successful in gaining admission, enroll in the twenty-seven month Professional Phase. This overview pertains to the twenty-seven month Professional Phase.
The Professional Phase is divided into four semesters of classroom (didactic) instruction and three semesters of full-time clinical rotation experience. Students follow a defined curriculum, which progressively builds upon foundations to provide depth of understanding as opposed to rote memorization of the causes and treatment of various disease entities. The courses progress from basic sciences to clinically focused courses to clinical rotations at various hospitals and other health care facilities. Clinical correlations, such as discussions regarding the biochemical basis of diseases or radiographic illustrations of anatomical features are used frequently during the basic science review courses. Real-life examples of patients with various diseases are incorporated into every clinical course, and students start interviewing real patients as early as the first semester as a component of Physical Diagnosis I course. Students are formally introduced to the physician assistant role, healthcare environment and language of medicine in the Physician Assistant Profession course. Technical procedures are demonstrated and practiced on models in small group sessions.
The didactic phase is an intense experience, and students can expect full days of lectures and full nights of studying and preparation.
During the clinical phase, students attend rotations in various healthcare settings, such as hospitals, doctor's offices, clinics and long term care facilities. The student functions as a member of the health care team, gaining valuable hands-on experience treating patients.
The clinical phase is also intense, requiring travel to various sites, and may require students to attend during nights (on-call) and weekends.
Upon successful completion of the program, candidates are eligible to sit for the National Certification Examination for Physician Assistants. Students who have already been awarded a bachelor's degree receive a Certificate of Completion. Those students having completed all Hofstra University degree requirements as a component of prerequisite course work will receive both a Certificate of Completion and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physician Assistant Studies.