Mississippi College Physician Assistant Program
Student Portfolio Outline
1. Introduction- (9/28/2012)This is a short section which introduces the portfolio,
its purpose and describes the main sections.
2. Self Assessment-(12/21/2012) This an honest appraisal of your state of
preparation for the profession when you began the program and should include a
statement of philosophy or reason for the student to enter the Physician Assistant
Program.
3. Medical knowledge- Medical knowledge includes an understanding of
pathophysiology, patient presentation, differential diagnosis, patient
management, surgical principles, health promotion, and disease prevention. In
this section demonstrate core knowledge about established and evolving
biomedical and clinical sciences and the application of this knowledge to patient
care.
a. Grades from Preclinical Courses (11/9/2012)
b. Pre-Clinical and Packrat evaluations (11/9/2012)
i. My strengths and weaknesses (11/9/2012)
c. OSCEs (7/26/2013)
d. Other evaluations (11/29/2013)
4. Interpersonal & communication skills-(7/26/2013) Interpersonal and
communication skills encompass verbal, nonverbal, and written exchange of
information. In this section you must demonstrate interpersonal and
communication skills that result in effective information exchange with patients,
their patients’ families, physicians, professional associates, and the health care
system. Evidence of this can include comments from preceptor evaluations,
examples of graded write-ups, etc.
5. Patient Care- (7/26/2013) Patient care includes age appropriate assessment,
evaluation, and management. In this section you must provide evidence of care
that is effective, patient-centered, timely, efficient, and equitable for the treatment
of health problems and the promotion of wellness. This also includes evidence of
the wide range of clinical experiences required for completion of the program.
You may also include comments from preceptor evaluations, “thank-you” notes
from patients or other related documents.
a. Clinical Experiences; A journal of my supervised clinical practice
experiences;
i. My patients:
1. Patient care across the life span- Provide a brief description
of some of the patient experiences you have had that
demonstrate your experience with patients across the life
span.
2. My experiences in women’s health (including prenatal and
gynecologic care)
3. My experiences with conditions requiring surgical
management, including pre-operative, intra-operative, and
post-operative care.
4. My experiences providing care for behavioral and mental
health conditions.
ii. The Settings: Provide a brief description of some of the clinical
settings in which you have trained. During your clinical phase you
must work in the following settings:
1. Outpatient
2. Emergency Department
3. Inpatient
4. Operating Room
iii. My Preceptors: Provide a brief description of each of your
preceptors. During your clinical phase you must work with
preceptors practicing in the following disciplines:
1. Family Medicine
2. Internal Medicine
3. General Surgery
4. Pediatrics
5. OB/GYN
6. Behavioral and Mental Health Care
iv. Interprofessional experiences: describe and reflect on your
experiences with interprofessional or interdisciplinary teams.
6. Professionalism- (7/26/2013) Professionalism is the expression of positive
values and ideals as care is delivered. Foremost, it involves prioritizing the
interests of those being served above one’s own. In this section you must
demonstrate your record of a high level of responsibility, ethical practice,
sensitivity to a diverse patient population, and adherence to legal and regulatory
requirements. Evidence of this can include comments from preceptor
evaluations, professional evaluations, letters of recommendation, etc. This
section should also include a curriculum vitae.
a. Demonstrate an understanding of legal and regulatory requirements, as
well as the appropriate role of the physician assistant
b. Demonstrate appropriate professional relationships with physician
supervisors and other health care providers
c. Demonstrate respect, compassion, and integrity
d. Demonstrate responsiveness to the needs of patients and society
e. Demonstrate accountability to patients, society, and the profession
f. Show evidence of your commitment to excellence and ongoing
professional development
g. Demonstrate a commitment to ethical principles pertaining to provision or
withholding of clinical care, confidentiality of patient information, informed
consent, and business practices
h. Show evidence of your sensitivity and responsiveness to patients’ culture,
age, gender, and disabilities
i. Demonstrate self-reflection, critical curiosity, and initiative.
7. Practice-based learning and improvement- (7/26/2013) Practice-based
learning and improvement includes the processes through which clinicians
engage in critical analysis of their own practice experience, medical literature,
and other information resources for the purpose of self-improvement. In this
section you must assess, evaluate, and improve your educational and patient
care practices. This can include:
a. Self assessment results (Packrat, etc.)
b. Reflections and plans for improvement ( 3-5 year plan)
c. Analysis of educational experiences and performing practice-based
improvement activities using a systematic methodology in concert with
other members of the health care delivery team
d. Appraisal and integration of evidence from scientific studies related to your
patients’ health problems
e. Application of information about your own population of patients and the
larger population from which your patients are drawn
f. Application of knowledge of study designs and statistical methods to the
appraisal of clinical studies and other information on diagnostic and
therapeutic effectiveness
g. Application of information technology to manage information, access
online medical information, and support your own education
h. Examples of the facilitation of the learning of other students and/or health
care professionals
i. Evidence that you recognize and appropriately address gender, cultural,
cognitive, emotional, and other biases; gaps medical knowledge; and
physical limitations in yourself and others.
j. Continuing Education/ Certifications, (eg. ACLS, BCLS, PALS)
8. Systems-based practice- (7/26/2013) Systems-based practice encompasses
the societal, organizational, and economic environments in which health care is
delivered. In this section you must demonstrate an awareness of and
responsiveness to the larger system of health care to provide patient care that is
of optimal value. Show any evidence of work to improve the larger health care
system of which their practices are a part.
a. This can include:
i. Use of information technology to support patient care decisions and
patient education
ii. Effective interaction with different types of medical practice and
delivery systems
iii. Developing an understanding of the funding sources and payment
systems that provide coverage for patient care
iv. The practice of cost-effective health care and resource allocation
that does not compromise quality of care
v. Advocating for quality patient care and assist patients in dealing
with system complexities
vi. Partnering with supervising physicians, health care managers, and
other health care providers to assess, coordinate, and improve
delivery of health care and patient outcomes
vii. Promoting a safe environment for patient care and recognizing
and/or correcting systems-based factors that negatively impact
patient care.
viii. Using information to support patient care decisions and patient
education.
ix. Applying medical information and clinical data systems to provide
more effective, efficient patient care
x. Utilizing the systems responsible for the appropriate payment of
services.
xi. Professional memberships, committees, community activities and
outreach.
9. Critical Analysis of Medical Literature (one of the following) (11/1/2013)
a. Review (manuscript) of multiple publications on a selected topic or
research question. At a minimum, the paper should include the following:
i. Abstract (3/22/2013)
ii. Review of the Literature (5/3/2013)
iii. Methods (6/14/2013)
iv. Analysis (8/12/2013)
v. Conclusions (8/12/2013)
b. Poster presentation of selected topic or research question. At a minimum,
the poster should include the following:
i. Abstract (3/22/2013)
ii. Review of the Literature (5/3/2013)
iii. Methods (6/14/2013)
iv. Analysis (8/12/2013)
v. Conclusions (8/12/2013)
10. Conclusions and Final Reflections (12/1/2013)
a. This is a final paragraph or section which summarizes the main points and
theses of the portfolio.