Undertaking the Clinical Research Leadership Track will, among other objectives, enable students to critically evaluate medical literature, underscoring the limitations of much of the current practice of medicine. Our belief is that the ability to critically review the burgeoning body of medical publications paves the way for a lifetime of learning that is essential to the prudent, conscientious, cost-effective practice of scholarly medicine. In addition to didactic instruction, students will participate in the conduct of faculty-mentored, hypothesis-driven clinical research projects for their thesis.

Health and disease are shaped by our social and physical environments. Our goal is to empower future PAs to improve the health of diverse communities and reduce health inequity through scholarship and community engagement. The Community Health leadership track provides MSPA students with a faculty-mentored scholarly experience in areas of individual interest combined with structured coursework to support this scholarship. Students in the Community Health Concentration may also have an opportunity to partner with the AHEC Community Scholars Program ,where they will receive community-oriented academic training and complete a project in collaboration with an affiliated community clinic.

Healthcare quality, cost, and access are significantly affected by government policies and by a wide range of institutions, including hospitals, physician groups, pharmaceutical companies, and health insurers. To formulate effective health policy and improve clinical practice, it is essential to understand the interactions among these institutions, medical decision-making at the population level, and the social and economic environment of healthcare. The Health Services and Policy Research leadership track provides students with a faculty-mentored scholarly experience in areas of individual interest combined with structured coursework to support this scholarship. 

The purpose of the Leadership Track in Medical Education is to prepare students for engagement and leadership in the field of medical education. Students will choose a specific area of interest in curriculum development and delivery, evaluation and assessment, educational technology, or simulation, and complete a comprehensive education project with the guidance of a faculty mentor combined with structured supportive coursework. Students in the Medical Education leadership track may have an opportunity to complete the Honors Certificate Program through the Clinical Teaching Seminar Series of courses.