2022-2023 Pierce College Catalog 
    
    Mar 28, 2024  
2022-2023 Pierce College Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Interservice Physician Assistant Program (IPAP AA-DTA) Course Map


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Created by Pierce faculty, this map outlines the initial coursework for this career field and for transfer to a four-year institution. It provides you a clear path to complete your degree by listing a specific set of courses relevant to your program and career.  The map is designed with the appropriate number of credits and meets degree requirements. Courses are organized in a recommended sequence; please schedule accordingly. If a course is unavailable, select the next appropriate course within the sequence. If you want to change a course on this map you must speak with an advisor to assure you meet all degree requirements. For each course, a purpose statement explains how the content relates to your career field. On this map, there may be instances when you will be required to select a course from several options. Use these purpose statements and notes to choose the course that best aligns with your interests and needs. You will also find action items to complete to assure you progress and graduate on time. 

While this map is a great guide to courses required to complete an Associate in Arts - Direct Transfer Agreement (AA-DTA) Degree, you are responsible for fulfilling all degree requirements. 

Questions? Your Success Network is ready to help you!

Important note about transfer: colleges and universities may change their requirements at any time, so this map is not a guarantee of transfer. You will need to check transfer requirements with your intended four-year school. 

Milestone:


Order JST and meet with success coach to determine any MOS related course credit and any changes in IPAP program requirements. This map was created with the prerequisites accurate as of Nov 2021. 

1. Required College Success Course


  • Course purpose: This course sets up PA students for success in college. 

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  • Note: The College Success course you select will depend on the Career Pathway Map you are following. Your advisor will assist you in selecting either the 3- or 5- credit version of the course. Should you choose to repeat a College Success course you must enroll in a College Success course with the same credit amount as the original course; a COLLG 110 course grade can only be replaced with a grade from another COLLG 110 course and a COLLG 115 course grade can only be replaced with a grade from another COLLG 115 course.

2. Required Composition Course


  • Course purpose: As a PA, you will be writing care plans, documentation of patient conditions, research, and technical writing. It is important to be able to clearly communication in written format to ensure good patient care. 

3. Recommended Prep Courses (if needed)


Take as needed. Not sure if you need one of these prep courses? Meet with your advisor to review your educational plan.

  • Course purpose: This course is for students who didn’t take high school chemistry and is designed to introduce the science major student to mathematical and chemical principles needed for success in more advanced science courses. Includes problem solving, graphs, calculator use, atomic structure, periodic properties, inorganic nomenclature, the mole, balancing equations and stoichiometry. 

  • Course purpose: This course covers algebraic skills, concepts, and applications​ needed for precalculus, including quadratic, polynomial, rational, and radical expressions and equations, and systems of linear equations. 

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  • Note: *If you need this course and don’t take any others in this category, you may need an additional 5 credits. Check with your success coach. 

  • Course purpose: This course should be taken if the prep courses are not needed. PAs need a strong understanding of medical terminology for charting and diagnosis. 

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  • Note: Within 5 years, can take on the Army Learning Management System (ALMS). Search for Basic Medical Technology.

4. Required Foundational Course


5. Required Math Course


  • Course purpose: PAs need a strong foundation in algebraic thinking in order to understand the principals of diagnoses and treatments. 

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  • Note: The math course taken must be college algebra or higher. Statistics will not count. Intro or Intermediate algebra will not count.

Milestone: SAT required within 5 years of application (1 March 2017 or after) 


  • Minimum score of 450 in reading and math 

  • Minimum cumulative score of 1000 is required in the reading and math sections. 

  • Take SAT prior to 1 January to allow 8 weeks for the College Board to grade your exam. 

  • Enter code “3994” on SAT test form. 

  • USAREC MUST receive your official scores for your packet to board. 

  • REQUIRED FOR ALL APPLICANTS REGARDLESS OF PREVIOUS DEGREE 

  • GRE, ACT, MCAT, etc WILL NOT COUNT 

6. Required Medical Terminology Course


  • Course purpose: If you needed a prep course in Step 3, take this course now. PAs need a strong understanding of medical terminology for charting and diagnosis. 

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  • Note: Within 5 years, can take on the Army Learning Management System (ALMS). Search for Basic Medical Technology.

  • Course purpose: If you didn’t need a prep course and step 3, take this courses now. PAs need a strong understanding of medical terminology for charting and diagnosis. 

7. Required Psychology Course


  • Course purpose: PAs need to understand the basics of psychology and the human social experience and behavior with introduction to emotion, perception, neurological influences, learning and intelligence for patient communication and diagnoses. 

8. Required Composition Course


9. Required General Chemistry Course


  • Course purpose: PAs need to understand measurements, significant figures, dimensional analysis, fundamentals of atomic structure, quantum theory, periodic properties stoichiometry, chemical reactions, gas laws, thermochemistry, and solutions. in order to understand physiology, pathology, diagnoses and treatments. 

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  • Note: Must be taken within 10 years of starting school; recommended to be taken within 5 years. Lab is not required, but highly recommended.

10. Required General Chemistry Course


  • Course purpose: PAs need to understand bonding theory, molecular structures, states of matter, atomic structure, intermolecular forces, thermodynamics, kinetics, equilibrium, acids and bases, and slightly soluble salts in order to understand physiology, pathology, diagnoses and treatments. 

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  • Note: Must be taken within 10 years of starting school; recommend within 5 years. Lab is not required but highly recommended.

12. Recommended Social Science Course


Choose one.

  • Course purpose: PAs should possess a general knowledge of societal norms/structures/human relationships and social phenomena in order to promote effective patient communication. 

  • Course purpose: PAs would benefit from exploring social problems including cultural and historical social patterns and the effects on society  in order to promote effective patient communication. 

  • Course purpose: PAs regularly deal with death and dying on a daily basis. Exploring all aspects of the death experience and understanding of the impact of death on family, society, and the healthcare system is a practical skill in the treatment of the patient. 

  • Course purpose: PAs will be interacting with a broad spectrum of the population and having an understanding of the dynamics of racism (power and inequality; prejudice and discrimination; racial and ethnic identity; stratification; segregation; and patterns of racial/ethnic relations) will be helpful  in the treatment of the patient. 

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  • Note: Another Social Science  course not listed here may fulfill this requirement.

13. Required A&P Course


  • Course purpose: PAs need this course to understand the anatomy and physiology of the human body. This is essential in being able to understand the physiology and patho-physiology of disease process. 

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  • Note: Must be taken within 10 years of starting school; recommended to be taken within 5 years. Lab is not required, but highly recommended.

Milestone: Meet with Success Coach to check GPA and apply for graduation


GPA Requirements

  • A Minimum Science GPA of 3.0 is required in all sciences 

  • The Science Courses included in the Science GPA will be those completed within 10 years of the start of IPAP (Fall 2013 and after)

  • A Minimum Cumulative GPA of 2.5

  • Applicants must meet GPA requirements by application deadline 1 March 2022. Coursework completed after 1 March 2022 will NOT count toward the GPA. 

  • There is no waiver available for GPA requirements

  • There is NO grade replacement for FY22 Applicants

14. Required A&P Course


  • Course purpose: PAs need this course to understand the anatomy and physiology of the human body. This is essential in being able to understand the physiology and patho-physiology of disease process. 

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  • Note: Must be taken within 10 years of starting school; recommended to be taken within 5 years. Lab is not required, but highly recommended.

15. Recommended Humanities Course


Choose one.

16. Recommended Social Science Course


Choose one.

  • Course purpose: A basic knowledge of concepts in human geography relating to economic activities, landscapes, languages, migrations, nations, regions, and religions increases the ability of the PA to understand and serve patients. 

  • Course purpose: A basic understanding of the economic, social, political and diplomatic history of the United States from 1900 to present increases the ability of the PA to understand and serve patients. 

  • Course purpose: PAs will be working with patients across their lifespans. A broad understanding of the human life cycle through contributions of psychology, anthropology, sociology, biology, and medicine increases the ability of the PA to understand and serve patients. 

  • Course purpose: If not taken in step 12, this course could be taken here. PAs regularly deal with death and dying. Exploring all aspects of the death experience and understanding of the impact of death on family, society, and the healthcare system increases the ability of the PA to understand and serve patients. 

17. Recommended Humanities Course


Choose one.

  • Course purpose: A good understanding of verbal and non-verbal communication processes increases the ability of the PA to communicate with, understand and serve patients. 

  • Course purpose: An understanding of major ethical issues concerning genetics, biotechnology and modern medicine, including ethical issues surrounding stem cell research, human and animal cloning, genetically modified plants and gene therapy increases the ability of the PA to serve patients. 

  • Course purpose: PAs need to constantly use critical thinking skills in their work in healthcare settings 

18. Required Biochemistry Course


  • Course purpose: PAs need to understand the structure and function of the molecules comprising biological systems, including the structure and function of organic molecules and functional groups, carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids.  They also need to understand biochemical processes involved at the cellular and molecular level of metabolism (catabolism and anabolism) with a focus on topics such as cellular respiration, nutrition, body fluids and pH homeostasis. 

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  • Note: Must be taken within 10 years of starting school; recommended to be taken within 5 years. Lab is not required, but highly recommended.

Milestone: Apply for Interservice Physicians Assistant Program


IPAP Program Information and Application Process

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