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HoWDI's and Teaching Tips
by Various Contributors
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| How we do it |
During our anatomy course, we have a surgeon do “clinical correlations” with the PA students. The surgeon helps students find the thyroid gland in the cadaver, and then on each other. After this, students watch a physical examination (PE) of the thyroid gland on video. This prepares the students for the PE course in the next quarter, aiding their comprehension of the sometimes difficult thyroid examination.
From: Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science PA Program, North Chicago, IL.
Contact: Patrick Knott, PhD, PA-C knottp@finchcms.edu |
| How we do it |
Following a lecture on managing patients with multiple health issues, a series of geriatric case scenarios are distributed across the class so that each group of four students has at least one scenario. Each group has ten minutes to review questions that assist the students to arrive at three valid treatment options, and they must then determine the best option. A spokesperson from each group verbally presents the patient and their treatment decisions to the entire class, followed by questions posed by their peers. A clinical PA guides the group discussion.
From: Mike Huckabee, MPAS, PA-C, Union College PA Program, Lincoln, NE
Contact: mihuckab@ucollege.edu |
| How we do it |
PA students are required to make a Powerpoint presentation
on a topic selected from the PANCE blueprint as a part of the clinical
year “Call Back” day when students return to campus
after a rotation ends.
From: Karen Hills, Duke University
PA Program, Durham, NC.
Contact: Karen.hills@duke.edu |
| How we do it |
Each student is required to submit a hard copy of an on-line abstract from three different peer-reviewed journals, using Medline or another peer-reviewed search engine. All three abstracts should deal with the same disease. An example of this assignment would be three separate abstracts of articles on rheumatic fever in pediatrics: one discusses the epidemiologic rise in cases of scarlet fever in this country, the second reviews the new indications for SBE prophylaxis in patients with rheumatic heart disease, and the third indicates current treatment regimes for rheumatic fever. The three abstracts are graded by the following criteria: 1) Is each abstract from a different, peer-reviewed journal? 2) Are all three abstracts clearly related to the same topic? 3) Are the abstracts generated from a peer-reviewed search engine?
From: Mike Huckabee, MPAS, PA-C, Union College PA Program, Lincoln, NE.
Contact: mihuckab@ucollege.edu |
| How we do it |
Students visit a local nursing home and complete four assignments
on the same patient over the semester.
From: Jim Fry, Marietta College PA Program,
Marietta, OH.
Contact: frya@marrieta.edu |
| How we do it |
We gather 4-5 real people to form a “patient panel” to visit with PA students during the clinical study geriatrics, discussing what it’s like to be 85 years old, how chronic pain is handled, use of multiple medicines, diminishing senses, etc. (We also identify patient panels with adolescents and gay/bisexual/transgendered individuals for similar types of discussions.)
From: George Bottomley, DVM, PA-C,
Central Michigan University PA Program, Mt. Pleasant, MI.
Contact: botto1gs.cmich.edu |
| How we do it |
Our “Issues in Health Care” course includes
a project that requires each PA student to work with an interdisciplinary
team also representing PT, CLS and HIM students on a complicated
patient-specific health condition.
From: Mary White, Saint Louis University PA
Program, St. Louis, MO.
Contact: whitem@slu.edu |
| How we do it |
After a series of lectures, each PA student is required to develop and then give a health promotion presentation in a local school classroom, often on topics such as hygiene, dental care, smoking avoidance, alcohol abuse, suicide, or physical abuse. Students create innovative presentations, such as providing free toothbrushes from local dentists, displaying the chemical contents of cigarettes, or showing photos of actual alcohol-related vehicle wrecks.
From: Roy A. Guizado, MS, PA-C, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA.
Contact: roygpac@western.edu |
| How we do it |
In their didactic year, students develop a case study on
a disease entity and lead the class in a “mini” Problem-Based
Learning (PBL) exercise, developing a differential diagnosis and
management plan.]
From: Sharon Moser, University of Detroit-Mercy
PA Program, Detroit, MI.
Contact: moserss@udmercy.edu |
| How we do it |
After instruction on medical history-taking during the first 2-3 weeks of the curriculum, each PA student is required to obtain a complete medical history on a random patient being seen in the University Student Health Department. The written medical history is submitted to the instructor for grading
From: Wade Nilson, PA-C, University of South Dakota PA Program, Vermillion, SD.
Contact: wnilson@usd.edu |
| How we do it |
A male genitourinary history and physical examination is
performed by students on a professional patient/model, and the examination
is graded by a PA faculty member.
From: Mark Zellmer, University of Wisconsin-La
Crosse/Gunderson/Mayo PA Program, La Crosse, WI.
Contact: zellmer.mark@uwlax.edu |
| How we do it |
To increase the student’s interaction with a culturally
diverse patient population, clinical experiences are arranged for
each student throughout the year at a community free clinic.
From: Meredith Davison, Midwestern University
PA Program, Downers Grove, IL.
Contact: mdavis@midwestern.edu |
| How we do it |
Students log into a nutrition website during each of their
core rotations and do a nutrition case that matches the rotation.
For example, during the General Surgery clinical rotation, the student
reviews a case presenting an ICU patient needing TPN. The student
must study TPN, ask questions of the preceptor, and then complete
the case study on-line. It is reviewed by a PA faculty member with
feedback provided.
From: Patrick Knott, PhD, PA-C, Rosalind Franklin
University of Medicine and Science PA Program, North Chicago, IL.
Contact: knottp@finchcms.edu |
| How we do it |
After the PA students receive hour-long lectures in four
obstetric subjects (pregnancy diagnosis, normal delivery/C-section
indications, third trimester complications and abortions), an afternoon
skills workshop is held, directed by an obstetrician and a PA program
faculty member. Groups of 4-5 students rotate among six stations:
Fetal Presentation, Cervical Dilation/Effacement, Leopold maneuvers,
Pelvic Measurements, Delivery, and Self-Study Slides. Each station
includes synthetic models and diagrams accompanied with group-directed
learning activities.
From: Michael Huckabee, MPAS, PA-C, Union College
PA Program, Lincoln, NE.
Contact: mihuckab@ucollege.edu |
| How we do it |
A group session with trained models assist a group of 4-5 students through the pelvic exam. The PA faculty is not in the room, but is available for feedback from students and models concerning any mannerisms of the students that need correcting.
From: Wallace Boeve, MSPA, PA-C, Grand Valley State University PA Program, Grand Rapids, MI.
PA Program, Lincoln, NE.
Contact: boevew@gvsu.edu |
| How we do it |
To bring PA enabling legislation to life, students are assigned
to go to the internet to research enabling legislation and then
complete an exercise that demonstrates the practical application
of the law, such as supervision definition, practice guidelines
and prescriptive privileges.
From: Bill Kohlhepp, Quinnipiac University
PA Program, Hamden, CT.
Contact: William.kohlhepp@quinnipiac.edu |
| How we do it |
After instruction on Healthy People 2010, PA students may
choose from a variety of service learning projects, such as guest
teaching at a local low-income high school, serving at a Habitat
for Humanity project, or volunteering with a literacy program. The
students then write a reflective paper on the experience, evaluated
by the faculty coordinator.
From: : Rick Muma, MPH, PA-C, Wichita
State University PA Program, Wichita, KS.
Contact: richard.muma@wichita.edu |
| How we do it |
During the year of clinical rotations, students are required
to review qualified clinical journals and document their participation
in reading CME articles by taking the related post-tests and handing
these in to PA faculty for grading. Twelve category I hours must
be completed, including 4 in geriatrics, 4 in pharmacology, 1 in
genetics, and 3 on elective topics.
From: Suzanne Warnimont, PA-C, MPH,
University of Detroit Mercy, Detroit, MI.
Contact: warnimsk@udmercy.edu |
| How we do it |
The “Student Leadership Award” is given to a
first year student each quarter of the didactic year, chosen by
his/her peers based on study ethic, peer relationships, leadership,
and “the person you are most proud to call a classmate.”
A paragraph must be written on the person to serve as a nomination.
The PA faculty presents the award with a gift certificate to the
campus bookstore, and excerpts of the nominating letter are read
to the class.
From: Patrick Knott, PhD, PA-C, Rosalind Franklin
University of Medicine and Science PA Program, North Chicago, IL.
Contact: knottp@finchcms.edu |
| How we do it |
During a model patient encounter, students are observed
by faculty and the standardized patient, assessing the student’s
professional manners, provision of patient comfort and safety, and
general rapport. The students are checked off as pass or fail in
their caring interaction.
From: Wallace Boeve, MSPA, PA-C, Grand
Valley State University PA Program, Grand Rapids, MI.
Contact: boevew@gvsu.edu |
| How we do it |
When instructing students on practical skills for dermatologic
procedures, it is helpful to insert materials (BBs, vitamin E capsules,
marbles, TicTacs, etc.) under the pig’s feet skin to more
appropriately exemplify actual cyst excision, I & D, etc. This
also provides a distinct area to practice anesthesia infiltration.
From: Brenda Talarico, Augsburg College PA
Program, Minneapolis, MN.
Contact: talarico@augsburg.edu |
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| Teaching Tip |
The best teaching environment is often one-one-one. Improve
teaching by incorporating one-on-one teaching strategies in group
or lecture sessions.
Mark Archambault
LeMoyne College PA Program
archamme@lemoyne.edu |
| Teaching Tip |
A 45-60 minute lecture is the limit before a time of relief
is necessary. Breaks are offered with general comments. The students’
attention upon return is generally improved.
Rick Arias
St. Vincent Catholic Medical Centers of New York PA
Program
rarias@svcmcny.org |
| Teaching Tip |
Provide students with an advance planner/roadmap at the
start of each lecture to facilitate understanding of the goals of
the lecture.
Pat Auth
Drexel University PA Program
pa27@drexel.edu |
| Teaching Tip |
Appeal to three types of learners – sequential,
intuitive, and practical learning styles. Sequential learners learn
best when information is presented in an orderly outline, intuitive
learners like to figure things out for themselves, and practical
learners need to know the purpose or application of the subject.
Most students of medicine are intuitive learners.
Kathy Pedersen
Utah PA Program
utahpedersen@comcast.net |
| Teaching Tip |
Use a self-evaluation form for the student to complete
and have the faculty advisor review the student’s comments.
The faculty’s evaluation of student performance is often found
to be similar to the student’s own assessment.
Bonnie Dadig
Medical College of Georgia PA Program
bdadig@mail.mcg.edu |
| Teaching Tip |
Direct academically weak students to learning skills workshops
early in their didactic training.
William Bomberger
University of Washington PA Program
wbomberg@u.washington.edu |
| Teaching Tip |
Creating a positive environment for learning is a key
to positive learning outcomes. A partnership between faculty and
students goes a long way to create such an environment.
Beth Alexander
Augsburg College PA Program
Alexander@augsburg.edu
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| Teaching Tip |
For a multiple choice examination, allow students to write
an optional, brief justification for the answer. Along with an item
analysis, this offers an effective evaluation of the quality of
the multiple choice items.
Bruce Niebuhr
University of Texas Medical Branch PA Program
bniebuhr@utmb.edu
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| Teaching Tip |
Student self-assessment can be
an effective tool to
use in a faculty advisor/student teaching session.
Virginia Joslin
Emory University PA Program
vjoslin@learnlink.emory.edu
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| Teaching Tip |
To maintain security of off-site student testing, utilize
a proctor who has signed an agreement of commitment to the integrity
of the testing. The proctor sends a postcard after each test that
confirms the security of the test. Proctoring can occur at public
libraries, medical records departments, etc.
Mary Ann Laxen
University of North Dakota PA Program
mlaxen@medicine.nodak.edu
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| Teaching Tip |
Narrated Powerpoint presentations on CDs and online with
Impatica are excellent learning tools for auditory learners as well
as for non-native English speakers.
Mary Barakzai, EdD
University of California-Davis PA Program
mdbarakzai@ucdavis.edu
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| Teaching Tip |
When evaluating practical exams or write-ups where subjectivity
is an issue, provide the students with your grading template prior
to the assignment so they know what to expect and how to achieve
the best grade.
Tammy Ream
Texas Tech University PA Program
tammy.ream@ttuhsc.edu |
| Teaching Tip |
Formally involve students with the quality improvement
process for the entire program (outcomes assessment).
Jodi Cahalan
Des Moines University PA Program
jodi.cahalan@dmu.edu |
| Teaching Tip |
To improve student learning and collaboration, partner
older and younger students together in cooperative groups. Younger
students are more comfortable with these groups and help older students.
Older students are more mature and focused, and often offer learned
time management skills.
Mona Sedrak
Kettering College of Medical Arts PA Program
mona.sedak@kcma.edu |
| Teaching Tip |
At a minimum, at the beginning of each week the clinical
year student should specifically ask the preceptor, “What
can I do to improve my performance?”
Keith Moore
Barry University PA Program
kmoore@mail.barry.edu |
| Teaching Tip |
For small group learning, students enjoy an occasional
game, i.e., “Jeopardy” or “Trivial Pursuit,”
with various categories relating to whatever subject matter was
taught
Anonymous |
| Teaching Tip |
Each Tuesday the PA students may participate in a 90-minute
review of integrated didactic material taught over the past week.
Since its inception this year, 30 of 36 students elect to attend.
Jennifer Holycross
Butler University/Clarian Health PA Program
jholycro@butler.edu |
| Teaching Tip |
Consider holding a focus group after each quarter of classes,
in addition to individual course evaluations.
Randy Danielson
School of Health Sciences PA Program
rdanielson@ashs.edu |
| Teaching Tip |
Assign students to teach specific conditions and diseases
back to their peers as a component of their professional development.
Raylene Lawrence [PA student]
University of Washington PA Program
ril@u.washington.edu |
| Teaching Tip |
During a long lecture (over two hours), share a tasteful,
relevant piece of humor to break the monotony as well as to regain
waning interest.
Edward Rampersaud
St Vincent Catholic Medical Centers of New York PA Program
erampers@cmcny.com |
| Teaching Tip |
Taking time during the first week of each year to review
student policy on professional behavior has markedly improved student
attitudes and behaviors.
Anonymous |
| Teaching Tip |
Use the 48-hour rule for feedback. Time moves quickly
on clinical rotations, so for value to occur, feedback should be
prompt.
Lyn A. Govette
Towson University – CCBC PA Program
lgovette@towson.edu |
| Teaching Tip |
Provide students with a comprehensive clinical examination
at the beginning of the second year to serve as a baseline of clinical
knowledge before students go on clinical rotations.
Meredith Davison
Midwestern University PA Program
mdavis@midwestern.edu |
| Teaching Tip |
Formally involve students with the quality improvement
process for the entire program (outcomes assessment).
Jodi Cahalan
Des Moines University PA Program
jodi.cahalan@dmu.edu |
| Teaching Tip |
Include group participation approximately every 15 minutes
to correspond with the audience’s attention span.
Kathy Pedersen
University of Utah PA Program
utahpedersen@comcast.net |
| Teaching Tip |
For student assessment, evaluate outcomes by trended analysis,
set minimum acceptable values, have an intervention to correct deficiencies
and plan to mentor ongoing effectiveness of the intervention.
Don Frosch
Butler University PA Program
dfrosch@butler.edu |
| Teaching Tip |
Consider a test review committee of students which reviews
challenges to test questions prior to approaching faculty.
Michael Funk
Nova Southeastern University PA Program
mfunk@nova.edu |
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