Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine announces the approval of an accelerated three-year medical school curriculum for Certified Physician Assistants to obtain a Doctorate of Osteopathic Medicine degree. On May 22nd, 2010 The American Osteopathic Association Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation approved the Accelerated Physician Assistant Pathway (APAP). The pathway was designed and will be directed by Mark Kauffman DO, PA, MS Med Ed as a response to predicted physician shortages. Physician Assistants are healthcare professionals who work under the scope of their supervising physicians. They undergo rigorous didactic medical curriculum as well as at least one year of clinical rotations to obtain the entry level masters degree for the profession. Debate suggesting a change in the entry-level to that of a doctorate degree resulted in the PA Clinical Doctorate Summit of March 2009. The Summit conducted the 2009 Physician Assistant Doctoral Summit Survey. The results of which recognized that many physician assistants wish to become physicians citing the desire to practice independently, the need for professional growth and development, the need for increased medical knowledge and the ability to do more for their patients as the most common reasons to do so. Currently only 4% of PAs return to medical school noting cost and time away from clinical practice as major barriers.
In 2008, 37% of PAs choose to work in primary care. Growth in demand for primary care physicians will increase by more than 15 percent over the next decade. Dr. Kauffman and LECOM have identified PAs as excellent candidates for medical school as they have demonstrated the ability to successfully complete demanding curriculum, have practiced clinically, and have expressed the desire to increase their medical knowledge. By accelerating the medical school curriculum to 3 instead of 4 years, LECOM will reduce the cost and time away from clinical practice for PAs within this pathway by one quarter. Students will complete the first year of didactic instruction followed by 8 weeks of primary care clinical clerkships. They would then return to the second year of didactic instruction followed by 48 weeks of clinical clerkship training. Applicants to the program will be required to have obtained a minimum of 22 on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). The first students would be enrolled in the fall of 2011.
In response to some of the issues posted to the forum
1) MCAT: Medical education literature notes that the MCAT is predictor for the ability to obtain core knowledge in Basic Sciences and perform well on standardized testing. It fails to recognize other areas that make good physicians like empathy and the desire to serve. Unfortunately, our accrediting body does not allow a school to pick out subsets of applicants. LECOM requires a minimum MCAT of 22, the level below which students without prior medical training struggle with the medical boards. PAs that have gone through LECOM already have scored lower on the MCAT as we do not take traditional pre-medical sciences often picking up physics, organic and inorganic chem just to meet the med school requirements and take the MCAT. However, despite the lower MCAT, their performance on the DO COMLEX Boards is superior as is there graduating class rank. Again, the rule applies that what you require of one applicant must be required of all, so even considering lower MCAT scores for APAP is not possible. I am not aware of any US medical school that does not require MCAT. If anyone knows of a school that doesnt, please let me know. I would like to see how they do on their Boards. Another poster recommended taking a MCAT prep course. Good idea.
2) Stepping Stone: PAs are an extremely valuable asset to medicine. However, as noted in the press release, once experiencing medicine, some have strong desires to become physicians. The 2009 Summit Survey noted the following four reasons as the most common: Ability to practice independently, Need for professional growth and development, Need for increased medical knowledge and Ability to do more for patients. The program is in no way designed to take practitioners away from one field into another. For those who question why PAs should support those who choose to leave the profession, the answer is; which physicians will be the best supporters of the PA profession, those who are PAs themselves.
3) Barriers to returning to med school include the financial burden and time away from practice. This program is 138 weeks of training and will cut the total cost of medical school by ¼.
4) Twelve slots: When applying for new programs, approval is less hampered if smaller numbers are sought. Though barred from the debate process during our application, apparently it was lengthy. Anytime a new program is developed, assurance of its success must be made. With demonstration of success, advancements can be made. As noted by many forum posters, it is a start and no longer an urban myth.
5) Pre-requisites: Schools do have the liberty to accept some courses in lieu of others. Many applicants will take all of the standard physics, organic and inorganic chem just for the MCAT but you shouldnt hold your application if you have not had all of these courses. Each application will be assessed individually and other completed courses will be considered and approved as appropriate.
6) Clinical experience: only completion of your PA curriculum and certification is required meaning you have had at least 1 year of clinical experience. You could go directly from PA school to LECOM.
7) Applications for the program are through AACOMAS. If planning to apply, put it your application early and notate your PA training.
