University of Utah Physician Assistant Program

Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS)

Post Graduate Program

University of Utah

Physician Assistant Program

Statement of Purpose

To allow practicing physician assistants the opportunity to obtain a Master’s of Physician Assistant Studies degree by completing three semesters of coursework and a Master’s project.

To further develop clinicians’ critical-thinking skills by imparting evidence-based medicine concepts, culminating in a Master’s project related to patients you see in your practice.

Who Should Apply?

You should consider attending if you:

Have decided a Master’s degree is important for your professional growth and development
Want a degree that will provide skills to enhance clinical practice
Wish to learn how to practice EBM
Are committed to patient-centered care

Why Evidence Based Medicine?

"Everyone in health care is aware of evidence: the need for it, the lack of it, the challenge of it. Patients want reassurance that they are getting quality care. Practitioners want knowledge that is current, relevant, accessible and useful. Policy makers want proof that resources go to best practices.

"Most clinicians would like to incorporate more evidence-based medicine into their practices, but knowing where to look, what to trust, or how to connect evidence with practice can seem onerous...Given the right skills and tools, decisions can be blended with clinical expertise, patient values and the best available evidence."
Robert Hayward, MD- Centre for Health Evidence

Logistics

Students attend three Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM) Seminars at the University of Utah Physician Assistant Program over the course of three consecutive semesters. Approximately 10-11 days are spent on campus.

Requirements

Graduation from a physician assistant program accredited by the Accreditation Review Committee for Physician Assistants (ARC-PA)
Current certification by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA)
Bachelor's Degree
GPA of 3.0 (All transcripts sent to the U of U Graduate School)

Program

Semester	Course Title	Credits
Fall	EBM Seminar I Special Topics (Master’s Project)	6 4
Spring	EBM Seminar II Special Topics (Master’s Project)	6 4
Summer	EBM Seminar III Special Topics (Master’s Project)	6 4
	Total Credits:	30

Application

Candidates for the UPAP Post-Graduate MPAS degree must submit applications to:

The Utah Physician Assistant Program (download the application in PDF format)

Application deadline March 1
The University of Utah Graduate School (applications can be found here)

Application deadline April 1

One class of 12 individuals is selected each year. The program begins with each Fall semester and concludes by the end of Summer semester the following year.

Seminar Content

Coursework includes mastery of basic biostatistical and epidemiological concepts, computer lab sessions on how to effectively use medical databases, and workshops on critical interpretation of medical literature.

Between seminars, you will develop Evidence-Based Medicine Write-ups (EBMWUs) based on your own clinical cases. The EBMWUs will enhance your clinical practice in a useful and practical way.

For the Master’s project, you will identify, from your own practice, an intriguing clinical question that will be reviewed and approved by your Supervisory Committee. Pending approval, the project will be completed with specific timelines and guidelines culminating in a formal presentation during seminar III.

Tuition*

$2,326.34 per semester for residents *

$7,328.75 per semester for non-residents **

*Cost is subject to change on an annual basis as designated by the Utah State Legislature.

**Graduate fellowships with tuition reduction are available for non-residents - please inquire.

Faculty:

Core Faculty:	Adjunct UPAP Faculty:
Connie Goldgar, MS, PA-C	Steve Alder , PhD
Dave Keahey, MSPH, PA-C	A. Peter Catinella, MD
	Karen Gunning, PharmD
	Jay Moreland, MD

Contact:
Heather Buttars
hbuttars@upap.utah.edu
801-587-3356