Clinical Education
Supervised clinical practice experiences (SCPEs) are important for the development and mastery of the PA competencies. The clinical phase of the program is 12 months long and includes eight 6-week clinical rotations which include seven (7) core disciplines and one (1) elective rotation. These rotations include:
- Emergency Medicine
- Surgery
- Internal Medicine
- Family Medicine
- Psychiatry
- Women’s Health
- Pediatrics
- Elective rotation
The SCPEs offer Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ exposure to patient care across the lifespan, including infants, children, adolescents, adults, and the elderly and will occur in the outpatient and inpatient settings, the emergency department, and the operating room. Patient encounters will include preventive, emergent, acute, and chronic conditions, as well as conditions requiring surgical management, including pre-operative, intra-operative, and post-operative care.
Clinical instructional faculty (preceptors) for SCPE rotations are primarily physicians (MDs or DOs) who are specialty board certified in their area of instruction and hold a valid license to practice at the clinical site; or NCCPA certified physician associates/assistants (PAs) who hold a valid license to practice at the clinical site.
The UM PA program has clinical affiliations at various clinical sites across Montana, and some in Wyoming. Students may be scheduled at some distance from campus and the Ñý¼§Ö±²¥' current residence which is necessary to provide a range of diverse learning experiences and ensure availability and quality of clinical rotation sites. Students are responsible for providing their own housing and transportation to and from the clinical sites and campus. Housing and travel costs for the clinical year vary widely depending on the site and location.
Prospective and enrolled Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ of the UM PA Program are not required to provide or solicit clinical sites or preceptors. Students should NOT be involved with site or preceptor recruitment activities. If a student has a personal or professional connection to a potential clinical site or preceptor (or other conflict of interest), they should provide this information to the Director of Clinical Education (DCE).