MISSION AND HISTORY

SUNY Downstate Medical Center

SUNY Downstate Medical Center is one of the 64 SUNY campuses located throughout New York State. Established in 1860, the Medical Center is the focal point of an education and patient care network serving one of the most diverse urban populations in the country. It consists of the College of Medicine, School of Graduate Studies, College of Health Related Professions, College of Nursing, extensive research facilities and the 376-bed University Hospital of Brooklyn. It maintains teaching affiliations with 18 regional hospitals including Kings County Hospital Center. The Medical Center has traditionally served a distinct and diverse population of traditional and non-traditional students from Brooklyn, New York City and the World.

SUNY Downstate, as a public institution, is deeply committed to providing access to quality education and has a long history of serving the community by graduating scores of well-prepared physicians, nurses, midwives, physician assistants, physical and occupational therapists, as well as a myriad of other health professionals.
The campus encompasses thirteen acres with a total student body of 1,600. The College of Health Related Professions (CHRP) established in 1966 enrolls approximately 300 full and part-time students.

The Physician Assistant Program joined the College of Health Related Professions in 1990.


College of Health Related Professions

The mission of the College of Health Related Professions is to foster the development of professional, competent, diverse Physician Assistants to provide compassionate healthcare for an evolving urban population. The College seeks to accomplish this by providing a challenging and supportive atmosphere for learning that offers opportunities for structured experiences as well as independent inquiry. The faculty contribute to knowledge in allied health through advancements in clinical practice, scholarly activities, basic and applied research. Collaboration is emphasized among students, faculty, clinicians and professionals in health care and related disciplines. Students are prepared for professional leadership roles through course work, professional and campus activities. The College fosters ongoing professional growth by sponsoring continuing education opportunities in all disciplines. The College strives to serve the urban community in which it is located by providing health services and education to the population.


Physician Assistant Program

In keeping with the mission of the College of Health Related Professions, the mission of the SUNY Downstate Medical Center Physician Assistant Program is to foster the development of professional, competent diverse Physician Assistants to provide compassionate healthcare for an evolving urban population. Our vision is to meet the unmet health care needs in Brooklyn, and New York City.

The curriculum integrates the basic sciences, social sciences, medical sciences and clinical experiences to provide a comprehensive introduction to the practice of medicine. The four semester didactic phase consists of lectures, laboratory, on-line and traditional courses, as well as practical, simulation and community service experiences designed to provide PA students with the knowledge necessary to address patients in a clinical context. The clinical phase consists of ten supervised clinical training experiences (clerkships), at a broad range of clinical affiliate institutions. The clinical phase provides senior students with a valuable opportunity to develop and refine their professional clinical skills. Graduates of the program are equipped with the entry-level knowledge and clinical skills to practice medicine as primary care Physician Assistants, with supervision by licensed physicians. In addition to meeting the specific shortages in New York State's health work-force, graduates of our program are qualified and traditionally practice in settings designed to meet the special needs of New York State's under-represented and under-served populations.

The curriculum, which consists of seven consecutive semesters, is designed to fulfill the program and the institution’s mission. To foster the students’ spirit of collaboration with faculty and students from other health care professions, interdisciplinary courses are offered throughout the curriculum. The objectives, learning experiences, and evaluation methods of each academic and clinical course provide the opportunity for the students to gain the knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary to attain the curriculum goals. Recognizing that students are adult learners who are responsible for their own learning, the faculty provides a climate that facilitates the acquisition of knowledge and skills essential to safe clinical practice while respecting individual learning styles. Learning is sequenced to be progressive and influenced by previously attained knowledge and skills. Key concepts of clinical problem-solving, critical thinking skills, interpersonal skills, the teaching-learning process, and the rights and dignities of the patients are introduced early and threaded through all the Physician Assistant courses.

Several PA courses integrate direct instruction with Web-assisted learning, utilizing PRIME.

PA Professional role development mandates an awareness of the impact of medical research and evidence in clincal practice and the value of life long learning. Similarly PA’s must be aware of evolving issues in health care and PA practice on local, state, national, and international levels. Educational experiences are designed to facilite student’s understanding of clinical research, health care policy, and PA professional issues.

The PA faculty believe that tolerance and cultural sensitivity are vital attributes needed by health care professionals practicing in a vibrant and richly diverse urban environment such as New York City. To help develop the above critical skills, College-wide activities are arranged to discuss issues relating to cross cultural and ethical issues in-patient care. At the program level, issues relating to cultural diversity and ethics are integrated throughout the didactic phase, community service and mentorship experiences as well as the clinical phases of the curriculum.