Professional Seminar 3

Catalog description

Builds upon Professional Seminar 1 to refine the clinical, ethical, and communication skills of second-year Physician Assistant (PA) students as they prepare for clinical rotations and professional practice. This course builds upon previous competencies by integrating lectures, case-based discussions, standardized patient (SP) simulations, and experiential learning, enabling students to apply medical knowledge to complex patient interactions while reinforcing bias mitigation, stereotype reduction, and ethical decision-making. A key focus is the exploration of diverse healthcare challenges, including LGBTQIA+ healthcare, gender dysphoria, gender-affirming care, sex positivity, sexual history interviewing, and care for victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, child and elder abuse, ensuring that students develop a holistic, trauma-informed approach to sensitive medical concerns. Additional topics include intellectual and developmental disabilities, aphasia, chronic disease management, end-of-life care, and substance use disorders, all of which require advanced clinical reasoning, patient-centered communication, and multidisciplinary collaboration. Through interactive workshops and simulation-based training, students practice engaging with patients who present challenging personalities, emotional distress, or complex psychosocial needs, strengthening their ability to navigate high-stakes, ethically challenging, or emotionally charged clinical scenarios. A group project on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) encourages students to research, collaborate, and present on key legislation, accessibility standards, and the impact of disability rights on healthcare delivery, further reinforcing the importance of patient advocacy and equitable care. Students will also implement the community service project developed in Professional Seminar 1, applying their…