Physician Assistant Program News

Program Highlights

We are pleased to announce that the program received approval from the New York State Department of Education to transition to the masters (M.S.) level effective with the entering class in June 2005. The new class of 40 was selected from over 400 applicants.  The new masters curriculum places increased emphasis on critical thinking skills and evidence based medicine and incorporates new elements such as a course in Clinical Prevention and Population Health, enhanced case-studies in pharmacology, a more rigorous research design sequence, a required five week elective rotation and a master's project.

The 2005 Stony Brook Physician Assistant Board Review was held in August with over 90 participants from across the country in attendance.  New additions to the program included a radiology workshop, and a dinner reception at Jasmine, an Asian inspired restaurant in the newly constructed Wang Center on campus. Door prizes were also offered. Attendees of the review received approximately 41 of the 50 Category I CME credits toward the 50 CME credits required by the NCCPA every two years.

At the AAPA Annual Conference held in May, 2005, in Orlando, Florida, the program hosted a reception for Stony Brook alumni.  Sponsored by the School of Health Technology and Management and the Stony Brook Alumni Association, the reception was held at the Rosen Center Hotel and offered light hor d'oevres as well as a cash bar. We were all delighted to reconnect with so many of our alumni and hope to make this an annual event.  Several of our alumni were treated to door prizes such as SBU hats and medical text books.

Students in the program are now receiving their education in geriatric medicine in an interdisciplinary seminar attended by students from many other schools in the HSC. This has created new awareness of the contributions that PA's make in eldercare and a greater appreciation of the need for teamwork in the provision of eldercare.

We are proud to note that in keeping with our goals, all full time PA program core faculty members now hold graduate degrees.  If you are an alumnus who has recently completed your advanced degree, please let us know so we can update our graduate database.

Student News

On September 10, 2005, students from the Stony Brook PA programparticipated in the East Northport festival, where they held a fund raiserto benefit victims of Hurricane Katrina. The sale of home baked goodies,candy and water generated $700, with all proceeds donated to theAmerican Red Cross Katrina Victims Relief Effort.