Time to Pivot: A Guide to Holistic Admissions.

ABSTRACT: As an ever-increasing number of physician assistant (PA) programs moves toward holistic admissions, a better understanding of how to achieve their stated admission goals becomes more important. With the June 2023 US Supreme Court decision effectively ending affirmative action in higher education, navigating holistic admissions is now an even greater challenge. In this article, the PA Education Association's Presidents Commission offers a guide for programs to use in implementing holistic admissions at their institutions and key considerations. Is the process mission-driven? Does it follow principles of quality improvement and incorporate ongoing assessment of that process? Using data can be a constructive and insightful way to inform the process. The authors hope that tools, resources, and recommendations offered in this article will serve as valuable resources for any program attempting to institute or improve its holistic admissions process.

The Future of Medicine Is Now: the Role of PA Education and the Ever-Changing Healthcare Landscape in the USA.

PAs have been a part of American healthcare team since 1965 and have grown exponentially over the last 20 years. However, the knowledge of the role of PAs and their educational training is not well known, despite the increased number of PA programs in the United States, as well as the presence of PA education programs globally. With the increased demand for clinicians to meet the national and international healthcare needs, PAs and PA education are crucial for the future of healthcare.

The Impact of Team-Based Learning (TBL) on Physician Assistant Students' Academic Performance in Gross Anatomy.

PURPOSE: Changes in medical education have prevented students from conducting full cadaveric dissections in gross anatomy. The efficacy of alternative educational methods is being explored to augment traditional dissection. METHODS: Team-based learning was integrated into the 2014 gross anatomy laboratory for physician assistants (PA) and nurse anesthetists. Deidentified data from the 2013 and 2014 courses were used to assess with t-tests the effect of this addition on student academic performance. RESULTS: Students in the 2014 course who experienced team-based learning performed significantly better on 75% of written and laboratory practical examinations (P < .05). Those mean examination increases correlated with a positive shift in final grades. A greater benefit was noted for PA students than for nurse anesthetist students. CONCLUSIONS: Team-based learning is an effective supplement to cadaveric dissection. Student short-term knowledge outcomes improve with the combination of dissection and team-based learning in the gross anatomy laboratory.