This is the first version of the 2025–26 General Catalog. Please check back regularly for changes. The final edition and the historical PDF will be published during the fall semester.
Graduate degree: MPA
Faculty: https://medicine.uiowa.edu/pa/physician-assistant-program-faculty
Website: https://medicine.uiowa.edu/pa/
The physician assistant profession is one of the newest and most exciting in health care. Physician assistants (PAs) are licensed to practice medicine with physician supervision in most states. Some states are granting independent practice status to PAs nationally. They are responsible for making medical decisions and providing a broad range of diagnostic and therapeutic services.
In the traditional office setting, PAs see patients, obtain histories, perform physical examinations, and order necessary laboratory and/or radiological studies. Based on this information, the PA establishes a diagnosis, develops an appropriate management plan, and initiates treatment that may include prescribing medications. The physician is consulted as needed and remains ultimately responsible for the care provided by the physician/PA team. PAs also are involved in both patient and community health education.
The Department of Physician Assistant Studies and Services is located on the University of Iowa health sciences campus, which includes University of Iowa Health Care, one of the nation's largest university-owned teaching hospitals.
Physician Assistant Studies and Services Courses
PA:8212 Fundamentals of EKG and ACLS for Physician Assistant Students 2 s.h.
Theory and practice with basic analysis of EKG strips and interpretation, including rhythm disturbances; completion of American Heart Association's Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) program.
PA:8213 Fundamentals of Radiology for Physician Assistant Students 1 s.h.
Theory and practice for interpretation of radiographs including general radiology, body, chest, musculoskeletal, pediatrics, and neurology. Requirements: enrollment in physician assistant studies and services.
PA:8214 Fundamentals of Clinical Laboratory Medicine for Physician Assistant Students 1 s.h.
Theory and practice of selected clinical laboratory techniques and procedures; emphasis on effective utilization of clinical laboratory in diagnosis and management of disease states. Requirements: enrollment in physician assistant studies and services.
PA:8301 Seminar for Physician Assistant Students 1 s.h.
Professional issues that affect the physician assistant's practice of medicine.
PA:8302 Physician Assistant Professional and Clinical Skills 2 s.h.
Hands-on experience and activities; suturing, injections, prescription and order writing, medical records, patient confidentiality, Iowa Law governing physician assistant practice, motivational interviewing, toddler and disability exams.
PA:8303 Physician Assistant Senior Capstone 1 s.h.
Demonstration of strong clinical knowledge base and proficiency in basic clinical problem solving; focus on student's ability to think logically and critically, integrate and synthesize knowledge, access evidence-based medical resources, document patient care appropriately, apply clinical knowledge, and demonstrate professional behavior. Requirements: enrollment in physician assistant studies and services.
PA:8304 Emergency Medicine for Physician Assistant Students arr.
Obtaining and recording pertinent historical data, obtaining indicated laboratory studies, assessing the results, arriving at a diagnosis, formulating a treatment plan, implementing appropriate therapy.
PA:8305 Gynecology for Physician Assistant Students 4 s.h.
Opportunity to develop proficiency in history and physical exams of gynecological patients; outpatient, family planning, gynecological cancer, concepts of diagnostic techniques and therapy.
PA:8306 Family Practice I for Physician Assistant Students 4 s.h.
Obtaining and recording complete history and physical exams; formulation of differential diagnosis and problem list; ordering, obtaining, and interpreting lab and diagnostic studies; implementation of therapeutic procedures and treatment plans.
PA:8307 Family Practice II for Physician Assistant Students 4 s.h.
Opportunity to participate in delivery of ambulatory primary care; at a different site from PA:8306.
PA:8308 General Surgery for Physician Assistant Students 4-6 s.h.
Preparation for work as an assistant to the generalist; outpatient and inpatient surgical services, including surgical procedures and management of postoperative course.
PA:8309 Internal Medicine for Physician Assistant Students 4,6 s.h.
Eliciting a medical history, doing a pertinent physical exam, obtaining indicated lab studies, assessment of results, formulation of management plan, and implementation of appropriate therapy for common internal medicine problems.
PA:8310 Pediatrics for Physician Assistant Students arr.
Knowledge and skills required for providing appropriate medical care to infants, children, and adolescents; initiation and promotion of interpersonal relationships.
PA:8311 Psychiatry for Physician Assistant Students 4 s.h.
Training in history and physical exams of psychiatry patients, including individual and family therapy, vocational testing and guidance, development of interviewing skills.
PA:8312 Long-Term Care for Physician Assistant Students arr.
Development of clinical knowledge and skill in diagnosing, treating, and performing procedures for patients of long-term care settings; knowledge of relevant conditions.
PA:8322 Obstetrics for Physician Assistant Students arr.
Proficiency in physical exam of OB patients; applying concepts of diagnostic techniques and therapy; following patients' course, including labor, delivery, and postpartum care.
PA:8325 Pediatric Elective for Physician Assistant Students arr.
Experience working with children and adolescents.
PA:8326 Radiology Elective for Physician Assistant Students arr.
Proficiency in systematic evaluation of normal and abnormal routine radiologic examinations; listing indications for special exam procedures, including details of prepping the patient.
PA:8329 Psychiatry Elective for Physician Assistant Students arr.
Training in evaluation and treatment of psychiatry patients.
PA:8330 Surgery Elective for Physician Assistant Students arr.
Experience in a wide range of surgical problems, procedures, and treatments, including diagnosis, care and treatment, and postoperative courses of surgical patients.
PA:8331 Surgery Elective (Transplant/Organ Retrieval) for Physician Assistant Students arr.
Extensive experience in care of patients with end-stage organ failure; evaluation of potential transplant candidates, participation in surgical procedures on transplant service.
PA:8335 Internal Medicine Elective for Physician Assistant Students arr.
Training in varied internal medicine problems; recognition, appropriate treatment.
PA:8337 Internal Medicine (EKG) Elective for Physician Assistant Students arr.
Experience reading electrocardiograms, interpreting cardiac arrhythmias, performing and evaluating EKG stress tests.
PA:8338 Internal Medicine (Gastroenterology) Elective for Physician Assistant Students arr.
Experience with a wide range of gastrointestinal pathology; history and physical exams of gastrointestinal diagnostic procedures, follow-up care of patients through outpatient clinics.
PA:8340 Internal Medicine (Geriatrics) Elective for Physician Assistant Students arr.
Familiarity with broad spectrum of medical conditions among the elderly; experience in history and physical exams, diagnosis of geriatric patients along with follow-up visits.
PA:8341 Internal Medicine (Pulmonary) Elective for Physician Assistant Students arr.
Development of basic clinical knowledge and skills for diagnosis, treatment, and management of pulmonary diseases.
PA:8342 Internal Medicine (Palliative Care/Hospice) Elective for Physician Assistant Students arr.
Work on a hospice care team performing evaluation, treatment, and education of patients with terminal illnesses; dealing with the prospect of death.
PA:8346 Family Practice Elective for Physician Assistant Students arr.
Proficiency in delivering ambulatory primary care.
PA:8347 Gynecology Elective (Women's Health) for Physician Assistant Students arr.
Experience in annual gynecologic exams, PAP screening, gynecology problems, contraception issues, STD screening and counseling, common gynecologic procedures.
PA:8348 Migrant Health Elective for Physician Assistant Students arr.
Basic clinical knowledge and skills for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases, injuries, and conditions related to environmental exposure in migrant worker populations.
PA:8349 Occupational Medicine Elective for Physician Assistant Students arr.
Basic clinical knowledge and skills for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of work-related diseases, injuries, and conditions related to environmental exposure.
PA:8353 International Medicine for Physician Assistant Students arr.
Basic clinical knowledge and skills for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases, injuries, and conditions relevant to international medicine.
PA:8355 Gynecologic Oncology Elective for Physician Assistant Students arr.
Experience developing diagnostic skills in clinical gynecologic oncology, learning methods of staging specific cancers; and assisting in therapy and outpatient management of patients with varied cancers.
PA:8357 Physician Assistant Transitions to Clinical Rotations 1 s.h.
Additional didactic and hands-on skills essential for preparation prior to core and elective clinical rotations. Requirements: enrollment in physician assistant studies and services.
PA:8358 Internal Medicine (Endocrinology) Elective for Physician Assistant Students arr.
Basic clinical knowledge and skills for diagnosis treatment and management for common endocrinology diseases.
PA:8360 Physician Assistant Summer Clinicals 6 s.h.
Clinical course for physician assistant students during their second summer session.
PA:8361 Physician Assistant Remediation and Self Study arr.
Completion of remediation or self-study program requirements.
PA:8362 Independent Study for Physician Assistant Students arr.
Students work on alternative experiences to supplement coursework and/or clinical experiences throughout various areas of the physician assistant program; self-guided experiences with faculty supervision.
PA:8363 Primary Care Academic Rotation arr.
Additional academic opportunities that enhance previous experiences gained in a clinical setting; emphasis on student participation in direct activities to supplement primary care experiences with observation and simulation activities as needed to provide a balanced experience in meeting course objectives.
PA:8364 Emergency Medicine Elective for Physician Assistant Students 2,4,6,8,10 s.h.
Training in varied emergency medicine problems; recognition and appropriate treatments.