Professional and Health Policy Issues I

Catalog description

Professional and Health Policy Issues (I–III) is a course which spans all three (3) first-year semesters. It is a lecture and small group course which focuses on practical principles related to medical ethics and professionalism, cultural awareness and bias, healthcare delivery and policy issues, behavior change principles, the opioid epidemic and public health as they relate to the role and responsibilities of a physician assistant. Professional and Health Policy Issues I (PHP I) begins with an exploration of the program’s emphasis on humanism in medicine. It introduces the student to principles related to medical ethics and includes the AAPA Guidelines for Ethical Conduct for the Physician Assistant Profession. It includes instruction and discussion related to the laws and regulations regarding professional practice. Students explore and evaluate their own and others’ cultural beliefs and values regarding health and illness, in order to understand the wide range of cultural differences and to navigate those differences comfortably for the best care of and relationship with the patient and significant others. As future providers within the U.S. healthcare system, students receive an overview of healthcare delivery systems. This course also includes the history and development of the physician assistant profession, its institutions, and current trends regarding legislation and regulations affecting PA practice. Finally, PHP I includes an introduction to the principles and practice of public health.