The third year (June through April) of the program is clinical. Students must complete eleven one month rotations in a variety of settings, many of which are arranged by the student. Required rotations for students on the regular track include neonatology or adolescent medicine, family medicine, women’s health, in-patient medicine, internal medicine, emergency/urgent care, and two months of ambulatory pediatrics. Each student must complete one month in a rural site and one month in a site designated as medically underserved. The remaining months are for elective rotations.

Students on the rural track spend four months in a single rural area in Colorado. Three of these months are in family practice and the fourth month is in a pediatric practice which serves the same geographic area (if possible). In addition to the family medicine block, the rural track requires one additional pediatric rotation and one month each in neonatology, in-patient medicine, urgent care/trauma and women’s health. One month must be in a clinic for the medically underserved. Electives fill the remaining rotations. Students are required to pass the comprehensive knowledge and skills exams, as well as all clinical rotations in order to graduate from the program.

The final month of the third year is the Clinical Project Presentation. This month will include presentation of a clinical case integrating the concepts of evidence-based medicine. Students are required to present their work as well as attend other presentations.

Third Year Courses

MPAS 6920-6974 Clinical Preceptorships:
S. Hoops, MS, PA-C is the course directors for all courses in the third year but each student works with a preceptor or team appropriate to the clinical rotation. Participation in night and weekend call is dependent on the rotation.

Neonatology:
This courses involved active participation in the care of neonates in a teaching hospital. Attendance at morning rounds, making case presentations and participating in the night and weekend call schedule are required. Students are encouraged to attend deliveries and perform circumcision and other procedures with appropriate supervision.

Ambulatory Pediatric Medicine:
This course involves active participation in the care of patients in an ambulatory pediatric practice, including health maintenance, diagnosis and treatment, patient/parent education and followup. This rotation can also be done in a variety of pediatric specialty clinics.

Inpatient Pediatric Medicine:
This course involves active participation as a member of the housestaff pediatric inpatient team in a teaching hospital. Attendance at morning rounds, making case presentations and participating in the night and weekend call schedule are required.

Pediatrics Subspecialty Medicine:
This clinical experience involves active participation in a specialty area of pediatric medicine, including diagnosis and treatment, patient/parent education and followup.

Pediatric Subspecialty Surgery:
This clinical experience involves active participation in a specialty area of pediatric surgery.

Adolescent Medicine:
This course involves active participation in the care of patients in a clinical setting specializing in adolescent medicine with an emphasis on the medical psychosocial, developmental, education and sexual issues that are unique to adolescents.

Family Medicine:
This course involves active participation in the care of patients in a family medicine setting, including health maintenance, diagnosis, and treatment, patient education, and followup for patients of all ages.

Inpatient Adult Medicine:
This course involves active participation as a member of the housestaff inpatient team in a teaching hospital. Attendance at morning rounds, making case presentations and participating in the night and weekend call schedule are required.

Adult Primary Care Electives:
This clinical experience involves active participation in an adult primary care practice.

Women’s Healthcare:
This course involves active participation in a practice involving prenatal, gynecological health issues. Obstetrics may be an integral part of this rotation. Attendance at deliveries is encouraged and participating in the night and weekend calls schedule may be required.

Emergency Medicine/Urgent Care:
This course involves active participation in an emergency department or urgent care practice. Attendance at meetings, conferences, and participating in the night and weekend call schedule are required.

Adult Subspecialty Medicine:
This clinical experience involves active participation in a specialty area of adult medicine.

Adult Subspecialty Surgery: This clinical experience involves active participation in a specialty area of adult surgery

Adult Internal Medicine:
This course involves active participation in an internal medicine adult practice in either the outpatient or inpatient setting. Participating in night and weekend call schedule may be required.