Upon completion of the KGI MSPA program, students will have acquired the following program competencies and learning outcomes, which are required for successful entry into PA professional practice. The development of these program competencies and learning outcomes were guided by the AAPA’s Competencies for the Physician Assistant Profession (revised in 2012), Association of American Medical Colleges’ Core Entrustable Professional Activities for Entering Residency (2014), PAEA’s proposed entrustable activities for PA graduates (2017), and PAEA’s Core Competencies for New Physician Assistant Graduates (2018). They were also organized to align with the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) definition of program competencies. 

Medical Knowledge (MK)

PLO1 – Integrate social, behavioral, medical, and professional practice knowledge into the effective and equitable care of patients across a continuum of ages, populations, and conditions. (MK)

Interpersonal and Communication Skills (ICS)

PLO2 – Utilize advanced interpersonal and communication skills to interview and elicit a patient history with cultural competence and cultural humility. (ICS, PROF)

PLO3 – Develop individualized patient education and care recommendations to support patients and caregivers in making informed health decisions. (ICS, MK)

PLO4 – Demonstrate effective oral and written communication with members of the interprofessional healthcare team. (ICS, PROF)

Clinical and Technical Skills (CTS)

PLO5 – Apply clinical and technical skills to perform an appropriate, patient-centered physical examination and advanced clinical procedures. (CTS, MK)

Clinical Reasoning and Problem-Solving Skills (CRPS)

PLO6 – Apply an evidence-based medicine approach to the evaluation and management of patients. (CRPS, MK)

PLO7 – Utilize advanced clinical reasoning and problem-solving skills to formulate a logical differential diagnosis. (CRPS, MK)

PLO8 – Evaluate a patient effectively through the proper selection and accurate interpretation of laboratory and diagnostic studies. (CRPS, MK)

PLO9 – Integrate findings from the patient history, physical exam, and diagnostic studies with consideration of social of determinants of health to develop a comprehensive, patient-centered management plan. (CRPS, MK)

Professional Behaviors (PROF)

PLO10 – Demonstrate professional behaviors consistent with the Keck Graduate Institute MSPA program professionalism expectations, including all interactions with patients, caregivers, and members of the interprofessional healthcare team (PROF, ICS)