Academic Catalog - 2024-2025

College of Health and Human Services

Department of Physician Assistant Studies

Physician Assistant Studies - Operations and Leadership, Graduate Certificate


Academic Information

The Operations and Leadership Certificate provides certified Physician Assistants (PAs) with knowledge and competencies to contribute to a patient-centered, safe, and cost-effective health care system.

PAs will develop a deep understanding of the U.S. health care delivery system, financing models, and patient outcomes. PAs will apply frameworks for collecting, analyzing, and using data to inform decisions, facilitate care coordination, and improve health outcomes of populations within and outside the health system; manage people, projects, and change within organizations; and apply informatics-based solutions to improve health care delivery.

PAs who complete the certificate program will be prepared to serve as integral members of the leadership team in industry, health care organizations, academic institutions, and other health environments.

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Academic Catalog - 2024-2025

College of Health and Human Services

Department of Physician Assistant Studies

Physician Assistant Studies - Operations and Leadership, Graduate Certificate


Careers

What Can I Do with a Graduate Certificate in Physician Assistant Studies - Operations and Leadership?

The Operations and Leadership Certificate for Physician Assistants (PAs) is a 12-credit online certificate program designed to provide certified PAs with knowledge and competencies to contribute to a patient-centered, equitable and accessible healthcare system. The program will focus on the role of the PA as a critical member of the healthcare team through coursework in healthcare systems and practices, change management, healthcare finance and delivery, and health informatics. PAs who complete the certificate program will be prepared to meaningfully contribute to the improvement of health and healthcare systems.

Career opportunities that might be pursued:

PAs who complete the certificate program will be prepared to meaningfully contribute to the improvement of health and healthcare systems.

With further education, one of these paths is possible:

Graduates will be provided with skills to make them competitive as leaders in healthcare, consulting, and academia.

The certificate programs align with the university’s vision of stackable education models. Certificates incorporate the same courses as the Doctor of Medical Science (DMSc) program and credits will ‘stack’ (transfer) into the DMSc program. The doctoral program will expand the pipeline of highly skilled, doctoral-trained PAs to serve in diverse settings, improve healthcare systems, and advocate for patients and communities.

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Academic Catalog - 2024-2025

College of Health and Human Services

Department of Physician Assistant Studies

Physician Assistant Studies - Operations and Leadership, Graduate Certificate


University Requirements

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Academic Catalog - 2024-2025

College of Health and Human Services

Department of Physician Assistant Studies

Physician Assistant Studies - Operations and Leadership, Graduate Certificate


Overview

Students may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your advisor for details.

Minimum Units for Completion 12
Additional Admission Requirements

Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.

Some online/blended coursework Required

Purpose Statement

The purpose of the Operations and Leadership Certificate is to provide certified Physician Assistants (PAs) with the knowledge and competencies to contribute to a patient-centered, safe, and cost-effective healthcare system.

The program includes coursework in healthcare systems and practices, change management, healthcare finance and delivery, and health informatics.

PAs will develop a deep understanding of the U.S. healthcare delivery system, financing models, and patient outcomes. PAs will apply frameworks for collecting, analyzing, and using data to inform decisions, facilitate care coordination, and improve health outcomes of populations within and outside the health system; manage people, projects, and change within organizations; and apply informatics-based solutions to improve healthcare delivery.

PAs who complete the certificate program will be prepared to serve as integral members of the leadership team in industry, healthcare organizations, academic institutions, and other health environments.

Student Learning Outcomes

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Academic Catalog - 2024-2025

College of Health and Human Services

Department of Physician Assistant Studies

Physician Assistant Studies - Operations and Leadership, Graduate Certificate


Details

Graduate Admission Information
Additional Admission Requirements
Certificate Requirements
Additional Information
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Academic Catalog - 2024-2025

College of Health and Human Services

Department of Physician Assistant Studies

Physician Assistant Studies - Operations and Leadership, Graduate Certificate


Campus Availability

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