‘The PA Will See You Now’ — On Camera

As PA programs transition to more online classes, and opportunities for telemedicine present themselves for student engagement, PAEA would like to provide our member programs with tangible support for their students. Additionally, we know that over the course of their clinical careers, our PA graduates will likely participate in telemedicine activities in some capacity — especially as new models of care are rolled out in this time of COVID-19.

For programs that already offer training in what is often referred to as “webside manner,” Neal Sikka, MD, associate professor of emergency medicine and chief of the innovative practice and telemedicine section for GW Medical Faculty Associates, explains that “key elements [of training] include how to position a video camera, maintain eye contact, and effectively engage patients.”

PAEA is offering two student webinar sessions scheduled for Thursday, April 30, 3:30–5:00 p.m. ET, and Tuesday, May 5, 4:30–6:00 p.m. ET, presented by Karin Reed, Speaker Dynamics CEO and executive communications specialist. Karin helps people leverage their video presence as well as identify and maximize their own personal presentation styles. She has regularly conducted workshops for graduate students at Duke, UNC–Chapel Hill, and Stanford.

One silver lining of faculty moving to more online activities is that it does prepare students to interact, problem-solve, and think critically in a virtual platform. This webinar is designed to assist students in developing much valued skills for their practice as clinicians in a health care environment that may become increasingly reliant on virtual patient encounters.

Register for April 30, 3:30-5:00 p.m. ET event.

Register for May 5, 4:30–6:00 p.m. ET event.

Sessions are capped at 1,000 attendees each.