Students may elect an emphasis in health services administration through an interdepartmental master's program. For information see Health Services Administration elsewhere in this section of the catalog. This degree is an option in the University-wide Master of Statistics degree program. The biostatistics option trains students to deal with a wide variety of data drawn from the biomedical area. Graduates of this program have practical experience in the design and analysis of actual medical studies.
Candidates generally require four semesters to complete the program.
Now upgraded to a master's degree program, the curriculum continues to emphasize both didactic and clinical learning experiences. As a master's degree program, however, students are enrolled in The Graduate School and receive 87 semester graduate credits for their course work and preceptorship. Graduates are eligible to sit for the National Certifying Examination for Physician Assistants, which is prepared by the National Board of Medical Examiners. Upon passing the national exam, they are certified by the Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants to practice in any state. The first 12 months of the two-year program consist of lectures, demonstrations, laboratories, and clinical experiences at the University's School of Medicine.