ABOUT-US

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ABOUT DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT STUDIES (DPAS-UCC)

The PA's responsibilities depend on the type of practice, his or her experience, the working relationship with physicians and other health care providers, as determined by law of the country of Practice The Department of Physician Assistant Studies, School of Medical Sciences was established to train Physician Assistants (Medical) to meet the manpower needs of the Government of Ghana’s commitment to a rapid expansion in the Ghana Health Services.

INTRODUCTION:

The Department focuses on training the middle level manpower in medicine to bridge the high doctor to patient ratio in Ghana. The department runs a four-year BSc. Physician Assistant Studies programme, and currently has about 420 students, having graduated the first batch of 64 students in 2019. The Department consists of academic and non-academic staff responsible for the running of the department. Courses in the department are taught by Lecturers in the Department of Physician Assistant Studies, School of Medical Sciences (SMS) and Lecturers with relevant experience from cognate Departments in the University.

The Department currently has 10 full–time Academic Senior Members (ONE on study leave), and supported by over 30 Part-time Lecturers, Demonstrators and Preceptors, who assist in specialty areas and six (6) administrative staff. Teaching in the department is organised into Basic sciences (Pre–clinical) and Clinical sciences, with two other supporting units, being the Community Based Experience and Service (COBES) and Skills Laboratory and Simulation Units. Faculty in the department are engaged in diverse areas of research in public and occupational health and safety, Gender issues, medical sociology, chemical pathology and clinical biochemistry, medical biochemistry, fertility, reproductive and endocrine physiology/general Physiology, internal medicine and therapeutics among others.

VISION, MISSION, CORE VALUES & GOAL

VISION

To be a department of Physician Assistant Studies with national and international recognition.

MISSION

To graduate highly trained Physician Assistants with the requisite knowledge and skills through innovative teaching and community experience.

CORE VALUES

  • Professionalism
  • Competency
  • Empathy
  • Team Work
  • Academic Excellency

OBJECTIVES/GOALS

The graduate of the UCC SMS Physician Assistant (PA) Programme should be:

  • academically, clinically, professionally and culturally competent in the delivery of health care services;
  • able to provide efficient, cost-conscious, compassionate and comprehensive healthcare at the primary level;
  • leaders in promoting healthcare, wellness, and preventing disease in diverse healthcare settings and in their communities;
  • Committed to life-long learning and professional growth.