PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT
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Gannon University also offers a pathway for students to enroll in the undergraduate athletic training program and are able to matriculate to the Master of Athletic Training degree and obtain admission in Gannon’s Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. Students entering the undergraduate athletic training program may chose to apply for the 4+2+3 Undergraduate/ Master of Athletic Training/Doctor of Physical Therapy Track or the 3+2+3 Guaranteed Undergraduate Athletic Training/Master of Athletic Training/Doctor of Physical Therapy Track. Please refer to the section in Athletic Training for additional information.
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS PT 100: Introduction to the Physical Therapy Profession This course will cover the history of the physical therapy profession. The role of the physical therapist as a health professional will be discussed. Scope of practice, responsibilities, and relationships with other health professionals will be reviewed. The professional organization for physical therapists will be introduced to the students. The students will meet with clinicians who will discuss various career paths available, types of practice settings and opportunities for “specialization” in physical therapy. They will participate in observation of physical therapists in the clinic and share their experiences with each other. Students will be introduced to the practice of physical therapy for conditions affecting the various body systems. 2 credits, Fall/Spring
PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT KIMBERLY CAVANAGH, DHSc, MPAS, PA-C., Chairperson FACULTY: Associate Professors: Heather Adams, Kimberly Cavanagh, Kristen Grippe, Blake Hoppe. Assistant Professors: Brittney Franley, Mackenzie Starns. Associate Teaching Professor: Jennifer Majewski. Assistant Teaching Professor: Natasha Camera Peterson. Medical Director: John Jageman. Physician assistants (PAs) are medical providers who are nationally certified and state licensed to practice medicine as a member of a team with other healthcare professionals. Their specific tasks vary widely due to differences among state laws and hospital policies. Generally, PAs are qualified to obtain patient histories, perform comprehensive physical examinations, order and interpret diagnostic laboratory tests, develop a diagnosis, implement a treatment plan for common illnesses, deliver patient education and counseling, perform certain surgical procedures, and provide emergency care. PAs may assist in surgery and deliver preoperative and post-operative care. Physician Assistants may deliver patient care in any setting in which the physician works. The Physician Assistant Department offers a Master of Physician Assistant Science degree following five years of increasingly specialized study. The curriculum is predominantly clinical during the fifth year. During the fifth year, clinical faculty, in conjunction with various health care institutions, introduce the students to professional physician assistant training. This component of the program is offered primarily in clinical sites in northwestern Pennsylvania, Ohio and western New York, as well as some locations farther afield. Students are responsible for their own housing and transportation to and from clinical sites. The PA program curriculum of Gannon University’s Physician Assistant Program is accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA). Applicants must meet the technical standards for admission to the program. For further details, contact the Admissions office.