Suggestions for Teaching During a Pandemic

The September 2020 issue of the Journal of Physician Assistant Education (JPAE) is now available and filled with articles to make your job as a PA educator more interesting and easier — especially during these challenging times. Below we highlight a few of the articles, providing a quick overview of what you will find in this extra-hefty issue. And remember, if you don’t have access to your hard copy of JPAE right now, you can always read it online.

1. The Effect of the Coronavirus Pandemic on Physician Assistant Educators
   The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has presented PA educators with unprecedented challenges in having to deliver content remotely with minimal time to develop new pedagogical strategies. This research study analyzed anonymous survey data to explore faculty experiences during the transition to remote learning early in the pandemic.
   
2. The New Normal: Changes and Legal Challenges Facing Physician Assistant Education in the Current Pandemic
   Change and uncertainty are often fraught with frustration, resistance, discontent, and dissatisfaction. The potential for legal challenges from students, faculty, and staff is a real concern. This Academic Law feature article highlights a few of those concerns as we move forward with teaching in this unique and unprecedented time.
   
3. Connecting Classrooms, Clinicians, and Community Clinics Through Technology (C4Tech) for Active and Collaborative Learning
   This pilot study investigated the level of cognition that PA students achieved through adoption of an innovative, blended learning model that connects the classroom, clinicians, and community clinics through electronic-learning (e-learning) technologies (C4Tech) used in a PA course. This education intervention aimed to facilitate authentic learning collaborations between PA students and practicing clinicians that would result in higher-order cognition related to the manifestations of social determinants of health and health disparities.
   
4. Silver Linings of Teaching During a Pandemic: Ideas for Evidence-Based Curricular Innovation
   It is important to actively seek out ways to help our students and faculty adjust, thrive, and continue learning during this pandemic crisis. As with all things that can negatively impact how we work and teach, it is important to look for positive changes that we can take away from this experience to improve the future of PA education.
   
5. Coming of Age in Physician Assistant Education: Evolution of Program Characteristics
   Although each PA program is different in how it approaches educating the next generation of PAs, programs are also similar in many regards. This study analyzed characteristics of PA programs across three distinct and defined time periods to identify these similarities and differences.

This is only a sampling of what you’ll find in the newest issue of JPAE. If you want to stay informed and connected, make it a point to check out these articles as well as the many others. Also, be sure to follow PAEA on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn for weekly article highlights!