About Us

Emergency Medicine Physician Assistant US ARMY/AIR FORCE BAYLOR DSC

Main (Program Overview/Mission/Vision/Aims)

Pre-requisites for this program include:

  • Must have at least three years (Army or Navy) or two years (Air Force) experience as a general practice Physician Assistant to apply.
  • Must have a minimum of two years time-on-station prior to the start date of the residency or if OCONUS must have served within 60 days of their prescribed tour.
  • Master’s degree in Physician Assistant studies or equivalent with successful completion of a research oriented original Master's thesis.
  • Take a GRE with a combined score of 300 or greater.
  • Have a minimum of 3.0 overall GPA for all college level courses taken.
  • Agree to incur a three and a half year (All Services) Active Duty Service Obligation (ADSO)

Curriculum/Rotations/Locations/Partnering Institutions

There are currently five sites for the Tri-Service EMPA program: Joint Base San Antonio, TX; Ft. Bliss, TX; Ft. Hood, TX; and Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA; The Air Force has an additional site at Nellis Air Force Base, NV. The Tri-Service EMPA Residencies are unique in that they exist within established Emergency Medicine Residency programs. The Joint Base San Antonio, TX, program is based at Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC) and is executed in conjunction with the San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium (SAUSHEC). Residents train alongside Emergency Medicine and other physician residents throughout the program.

This EMPA Residency site is unique in that BAMC is the DoD’s world-renowned level-one trauma center and medical educational institute, lending to first class education and research opportunities. Another unique facet of the BAMC EMPA Residency is that prior to beginning clinical rotations, residents undergo two weeks of a specially designed research course and another four weeks of an orientation month. These comprehensive introductory courses consists of lectures on research methodology and design, core emergency medicine topics, and advanced airway procedure and simulation labs. Furthermore, BAMC EMPA Residents are afforded monthly procedure labs throughout the program, far more than what is typically seen in civilian EMPA programs and even other military sites. Last, but not least, BAMC EMPA residents train alongside their physician counterparts through clinical rotations, grand rounds, morning report, and procedure labs, enhancing their education and physician-PA collaboration.

Military Relevance (military relevance of specialty/how program prepares trainees to be ready for military mission & first assignment)

The program’s first class began on 1 July 1991 and graduated the military’s first EMPAs one year later. In December of 2007, the program graduated the nation’s first Doctorate of Science in Physician Assistant Studies – Emergency Medicine (DSc PAS-EM) PA. The U.S. Air Force merged with the U.S. Army program in 2011 and their first DSc PAS-EM candidate graduated in December of 2012. The U.S. Navy’s first candidate joined the program in 2020 and is due to graduate in December of 2021. To this day, the Tri-Service EMPA residency is one of the few in the country offering a doctorate-level degree which gives candidates a unique advantage for academic positions both during and following their military careers. For more information on the Tri-Service EMPA program and its history, visit (link to Baylor site). https://www.baylor.edu/graduate/pa/index.php?id=936090

The EMPA program is modeled after emergency medicine physician residencies and was approved by the U.S. Army Surgeon General in February 1991. It is associated with the U.S. Army’s Long Term Health Education and Training (LTHET) program. The curriculum mirrors the emergency medicine physician curriculum developed by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM), Council of Emergency Medicine Residency Directors (CORD), and the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) Core Content Task Force II. The guidelines for evaluating the EMPA resident are modeled from the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) core competencies, and places emphasis on the skills required of the military Emergency Medicine Physician Assistants.

The EMPA resident is trained to manage complex medical and surgical conditions encountered in Emergency Departments and deployed and austere environments. The Tri-Service EMPA Residency uniquely focuses on emergency medical care in the emergency department with emphasis on resuscitation, trauma, and operational military medicine. In addition to clinical rotations, original research, dissertation, and defense, residents are required to attend and present at ground rounds, procedure labs, and morning report with their physician resident count erparts, take monthly, mid-term and final written tests and oral boards, and complete a case study. Residents are encouraged to publish their research and case studies prior to or following graduation. Following graduation, residents incur an active duty service commitment (3.5 years for all services) and are sent to follow-on assignments including operational units, academic and training departments, and clinical duties to serve as Emergency Medicine specialists.

Research is an integral part of the Tri-Service EMPA Residency. The 2004-2005 BAMC EMPA Residency class conducted the first doctoral research projects. In addition to developing and executing original research and writing a dissertation, residents will defend their work in front of a board comprised of Baylor University Graduate Faculty and the Dean of the Graduate School. Over the years, residents have published numerous articles and original research in peer - reviewed journals, presented their work at national conferences, and after graduation have been invited to be serve as editors for medical textbooks and journals.

The EMPA Residency formally incorporated emergency ultrasonography into the curriculum beginning academic year 2004-2005. This EMPA Residency is unique from similar programs in that residents have one full rotation to focus on point-of-care ultrasound skills. Areas of training and practice are those approved by the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) including: Trauma, Cardiac, Thoracic-Airway, Abdominal Aorta, Biliary, Urinary Tract, Intrauterine Pregnancy, Deep Vein Thrombosis, Soft Tissue/Musculoskeletal, Ocular and Procedural Guidance. In addition to the ultrasound rotation, residents will build upon their ultrasonography skills throughout the program in clinic and through training scenarios.

Application Instructions (Eligibility/Interview Process/Program Application Details)

To Apply:

  1. Complete DA Form 3838. See provided template DA 3838.
  2. See primary Course Location listing above and place desired training location in Block 19 of the DA 3838. (Requested training location is not guaranteed.)
  3. Route the electronic DA 3838 and current ORB to course coordinator.
  4. The deadline for course applications is January 17, 2022. Seats are limited for this iteration.
  5. Participants will receive acceptance notification, and if selected, further course instructions and details.
  6. Active duty applicants eligible to apply to the Long Term Health Education and Training (LTHET) Program/ US Army – Baylor University Physician Assistant DSc Emergency Medicine Residency will have priority. An Order of Merit List (OML) will be established for all applicants.

All applicants are strongly encouraged to complete the “Introduction to Emergency Medicine Physician Assistants Distance Learning and Basic Studies Course” prior to attendance. The distance learning course is available at https://www.milsuite.mil/university/ameddclass/courses/introduction-to-emergency-medicine-physician-assistants-distance-learning-andbasic-studies-course/. 30 Category I CMEs are available for completing this online course.

Introduction to Emergency Medicine Course (formerly known as Basic Skills Course), ATRRS 6H-A0627. The course will be conducted at various CONUS locations biannually. Primary training sites for this iteration are Madigan Army Medical Center, JBLM, WA and William Beaumont Army Medical Center, Fort Bliss, TX. If needed, based on the number of qualified applicants, San Antonio Military Medical Center, JBSA, TX and Carl R Darnall AMC, Ft. Hood, TX may be used as secondary sites. The aforementioned BSC training sites are subject to change pending EMPA staffing availability. Updates will be announced in a timely manner.

This one-week course will provide students a broad overview of emergency medicine and will aid EMPA staff in the selection of future candidates for the US Army – Baylor University Physician Assistant Post-Graduate Doctoral Program in Emergency Medicine. Participants will work clinical shifts gaining experience in evaluating and treating acutely ill patients in a busy emergency room. Students will also receive lectures on emergency medicine topics, participate in simulation labs, and gain experience in emergency ultrasound exams.

The EMPA Intro to EM course target audience is active duty Army PAs with a strong interest in emergency medicine. Those considering applying to the US Army–Baylor University Physician Assistant Post-Graduate Doctoral Program in Emergency Medicine through LTHET are highly encouraged to attend and will be given priority. This will be a unique opportunity to interview and train with EMPAs, discuss the 18-month residency, and complete the 40 shadowing hours required for LTHET application. The 2020 EMPA Intro to EM Course is an approved MEDCOM FY 2020 Professional Postgraduate Short Course Program (PPSCP).

Central Funding is not available this iteration. Use of unit/local funds is required for travel, per diem, and rental car. There is no course enrollment fee.

Contact Us

U.S. Army Graduate Education Manager

210-221-7000 office

3599 Winfield Scott Road
JBSA Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234-6138

U.S. Army/ Air Force-Baylor EMPA Residency Directors

Army Point of Contact: 210-916-8980 office

3551 Roger Brooke Dr.
Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234

Air Force Point of Contact:
210-916-1983 office
210-916-7142 office

3551 Roger Brooke Dr.
Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234

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