PA Program Clinical Rotations

Clinical rotations present an exceptional win-win situation for both the University of Mount Union students and physicians in Northeast Ohio and Western Pennsylvania. The PA program offers hands-on training at over 300 locations, including Aultman Alliance Hospital, the Cleveland Clinic, and Mercy Medical Center.

In August of their second year, students begin 12 months of clinical rotations at area doctors’ offices, hospitals, and clinics upon completion of the 15-month didactic phase, which includes learning the basics of biomedical science and clinical medicine through coursework and lab experiences.

Mount Union’s wide range of clinical rotations gives students the chance to put what they have learned in the classroom into practice. Seeing cases firsthand that they have only read about in textbooks, coming up with treatments for conditions, and building professional relationships with patients, Mount Union’s competent, medically trained individuals are prepared and skilled to use their knowledge in the field.

Students may also select two elective rotations in an area of their choice, such as orthopedic surgery, plastic surgery, ENT, palliative medicine, dermatology, endocrinology, radiology, cardiology, and pulmonology, to name a few.

The PA Program’s clinical coordinator will determine the assignment of a student to a clinical site. Students are not required to provide, solicit, or set up any clinical rotation sites or clinical preceptors. The clinical coordinator reviews, evaluates, approves, and prepares clinical rotation sites and preceptors.”

Medical providers interested in becoming Mount Union clinical preceptors, contact Dana Domer.

Each clinical rotation lasts four weeks, and each student is required to engage in the areas of:

Clinical Rotations Experiences

Women’s Health

This four-week obstetrics/gynecology rotation is designed to provide the Physician Assistant student with an opportunity to develop proficiency in the unique medical history, physical examination and treatment of the prenatal/gynecology patient. The student will also become familiar with tests and procedures unique to this patient population.
General Surgery

This four-week rotation is designed to provide the Physician Assistant student with opportunities to become proficient in pre-operative, intraoperative, and post-operative patient care. Student expected to become able to first-assist a surgeon in a surgical setting.
Pediatrics

This four-week pediatric rotation is designed to provide the Physician Assistant student with an intense exposure of primary care pediatric problems with the objectives of developing skills in well-child preventative care, the care of common pediatric illnesses and the care of the newborn and children.
Selective

This four-week rotation is designed to enhance the Physician Assistant student’s experience in a care setting selected by the clinical coordinator. The rotation scope is broad and encompasses such specialties as inpatient hospital medicine, physical medicine and rehabilitation, palliative medicine, dermatology, trauma settings, ENT, family medicine, cardiology, urgent care and other settings selected by the clinical coordinator. Emphasis will be on disease processes common to various medical settings and development of differential diagnoses and plan based upon the presentation of the patient.
Internal Medicine

Four-week rotation designed to provide the Physician Assistant student with the opportunity to develop proficiency in the addressing common medical issues via patient encounters in a clinical setting.
Emergency Medicine

This four-week emergency medicine rotation is designed to provide the Physician Assistant student with exposure to and development of skills in managing patients in the emergency room setting. Learned skills will include those necessary for appropriate triage, stabilization, diagnosis and management of patients with traumatic injuries and illnesses as well as the management of less life-threatening problems that present to the emergency room. Physician Assistant student will develop skills in working with the pre-hospital emergency medical team and secondary referral systems.
Behavioral Medicine

This four-week psychiatric rotation is designed to provide the Physician Assistant student with a behavioral medicine experience in caring for ambulatory and hospitalized patients with psychiatric disorders. The student will be able to perform basic psychiatric evaluations, monitor medications, and support the clinical management plan for patients after psychiatric evaluation and treatment. The student will also be able to refer to psychiatrists and psychiatric facilities as needed.
Family Medicine

Four-week rotation in clinical healthcare settings designed to emphasize the role of the Physician Assistant to the primary care physician.