Murfreesboro, TN - Inside the Cason-Kennedy Nursing Building at Middle Tennessee State University, first-year Physician Assistant Studies students were thrown into the heart of a mock disaster—a tornado had struck, the ER was overwhelmed, and resources were scarce. It was all part of a high-stakes simulation designed to prepare students for their second-year clinical rotations.
The scenario was intense: blocked roads, one med evac, no ICU, and a flood of injured patients portrayed by paid actors. Students had 40 minutes to triage and treat, making tough calls on who needed airlift, ambulance, admission, or discharge. “They have to stay calm and deal with whatever situation they have,” said Marie Patterson, program director. “It’s about critical thinking and making the call.”
With Tennessee facing a projected shortfall of over 15,000 health care positions by 2035, MTSU’s PA program is stepping up. The 27-month curriculum blends classroom learning with hands-on simulations using high-tech mannequins and task trainers. These objective structured clinical examinations, or OSCEs, mimic real-world challenges—especially in rural settings where medical resources are limited.
For Jesse Scobee of Antioch, a Navy veteran and first-year student, the simulation was more than a test. “It’s a great team-building exercise,” he said. “We’re recalling everything we’ve learned under pressure and working together to accomplish a goal.”
Nayatuil “Twilly” Tongyik of Gallatin spotted a hidden danger during her exam—a patient with fluid in the abdomen, a potentially fatal condition. “It didn’t look critical at first,” she said, “but as I went on, I realized she needed immediate attention.”
Students are graded not just on medical decisions, but professionalism and communication. “If they don’t handle the situation well, they’ll fail the test,” Patterson noted. And that’s the point—MTSU wants its PA graduates ready for anything.
To learn more about the Physician Assistant Studies program at MTSU, visit mtsu.edu/program/physician-assistant-studies-m-s.
