Program Overview

Purpose

The purpose of the U.S. Army – Baylor University Doctor of Science in Physician Assistant Studies Residency Program, specializing in Emergency Medicine (DScPAS-EM), is to force-generate active-duty U.S. military DSc trained emergency medicine physician assistants (EMPAs). The program provides the unique opportunity to develop advanced didactic and applied research knowledge plus procedural and clinical competencies via a standardized curriculum in emergency medicine (EM). The curriculum teaches evidence-based management of a wide variety of critical illnesses and injuries at military treatment facilities (MTF) and local civilian hospitals. Learning to resuscitate critically ill or injured patients in the emergency room utilizes the same critical skills, knowledge, and goals as stabilizing ill and injured warfighters on the tomorrow’s battlefield. This knowledge and experience are what make the residency invaluable to any military physician assistant. More importantly, this same knowledge and experience distinguish DSc trained EMPAs as critical members of optimized military medical and operational teams.

The eighteen-month EMPA residency program is specifically modeled after the three-year EM physician residency, with the addition of a terminal-degree dissertation. The residency program’s unique research component culminates with the successful oral defense of an original, Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved research project and manuscript, adding to the body of peer-reviewed, evidence-based emergency medicine literature. The residents develop advanced clinical competencies in EM as they work under the guidance of DSc trained EMPA faculty and board-certified EM physicians with extensive experience. They also experience a wide range of educational opportunities while working with trauma surgeons and PAs, pediatric EM physicians, critical care physicians, anesthesiologists, and additional specialty physicians and PAs.

The standardized residency curriculum includes several structured learning opportunities such as participation in didactic class work, research, lectures, in-services, examinations, oral boards, teaching conferences, clinical rotations, journal club and/or case presentations. The curriculum is designed to provide each resident with a broad base of knowledge in emergency medicine.

Mission

The mission of the U.S. Army – Baylor Doctor of Science in Physician Assistant Studies Residency Program, specializing in Emergency Medicine (DScPAS-EM) is to produce postgraduate-level emergency medicine-trained physician assistants (EMPAs) and clinical scientists to better serve Military Health System beneficiaries and the Physician Assistant profession by providing advanced care in emergency situations. This goal is met through force-generating graduates with expertise in evidenced-based emergency care plus expertise in the research process. The residency provides active-duty U.S. military PAs an opportunity to develop advanced competencies in triage and the management of complex acute injuries and illnesses. Graduates will utilize these same competencies to stabilize and resuscitate critically ill or injured warfighters in preparation for transport to higher echelons of care from the battlefield.

Vision

The vision is to establish the benchmark for post-graduate emergency medicine physician assistant education through the pursuit of scholastic and clinical excellence. This vision is realized by developing clinical scientists who are prepared to conduct advanced scientific research, as well as provide quality emergency care for patients with a wide variety of illnesses and injuries in the emergency department and on the battlefield. These graduate clinical scientists will develop as future leaders and mentors through scholarly excellence.