2018 NSU Fact Book

66 Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). The programs award a Master of Medical Science (M.M.S.) in Physician Assistant degree. Physician assistants (PAs) are health care professionals who practice medicine with physician supervision. PAs take medical histories, perform physical examinations, order and interpret laboratory tests, diagnose and treat illnesses, suture wounds, and assist in surgery. They can also write prescriptions in every state. The primary care-oriented program combines 15 months of didactic studies with one year of comprehensive clinical training. After completion of clinical training, graduates must take the Physician Assistant National Certification Examination for licensure. The Respiratory Therapy Program is located at the Palm Beach Campus. The entry-level, or first-professional, program is a full-time, on-campus, 24-month program. It offers a state-of-the-art facility with more than 1,200 clinical hours and a wide variety of clinic rotations available. The program is accredited by the Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (COARC). The completion program, opened in 2012, is designed for the practicing registered respiratory therapist. The program is fully online, part time, and can be completed in 24 months. The Bachelor of Science in Speech-Language and Communication Disorders was approved by the Board of Trustees in December 2012. Classes are offered daytime, evening, and online, for this dual admit program. Graduates of the program may continue on to graduate study or may become Speech-Language Pathology Assistants (SLPA) support personnel. The Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology Program (M.S.), which began in 1983, educates speech- language pathologists to provide a full range of services in a variety of settings to clients with communicative disorders and their families. The program provides scientifically based academic and clinical curricula to foster critical thinking and application of best practices. The program prepares the student to meet the requirements for the Certificate of Clinical Competence awarded by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (ASHA is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech- Language Pathology [CAA].) Additionally, the Clinic for Speech, Language, and Communication provides assessment and treatment services to approximately 200 patients and families each week. Individual and/or group therapy services are available for those with issues such as articulation/phonological disorders, language delays/ disorders (including autism), stuttering, voice issues, aphasia, traumatic brain injury, Parkinson’s disease, and accent reduction. The Speech-Language Pathology Doctorate (SLP.D.) was first offered in 1996 and was the first professional degree program for speech-language pathologists in the United States. This post-master’s, SLP.D. degree program fosters the development of knowledge, leadership, and problem-solving skills through curricula that incorporate research, ethical decision making, and models of best practice. Students are generally individuals with master’s degrees in speech-language pathology and ASHA certification who wish to obtain an advanced doctoral degree. The SLP.D. program is a hybrid (face-to-face/online) program that represents an innovative, practical, and realistic approach to doctoral studies. The SLP.D. program’s degree requirement is a total 53 semester credit hours. The UM-NSU Center for Autism and Related Disabilities (CARD) is one of seven university-based regional centers providing services to individuals with autism and their families. The NSU CARD Center serves constituents in Broward County. The NSU CARD Center is in its 16th year of continuous grant funding throughout Florida. In 2015, NSU CARD served 3,618 constituents in Broward County and offered 54 educational workshops, 32 webinars, and provided 25 public education events to more than 26,000 participants. Ron and Kathy Assaf College of Nursing With more than 4.1 million registered nurses nationwide, nursing continues to be the largest health care profession in the United States. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment for registered nurses (R.N.s) is expected to grow 19 percent from 2012 to 2022, and nursing is currently the top growth occupation in the country.