For many PA educators, teaching is integral to their faculty role; indeed, it is often their primary academic responsibility, yet most PA educators have received no formal training in teaching. The challenges of teaching are broad and varied and include understanding different pedagogical theories, writing instructional objectives, and learning and applying educational technology. Whatever challenges faculty face, we are drawn to teaching for many reasons.

Teaching affords us the opportunity to convey our own knowledge and skills to students, with the belief that students will benefit from our experience. Teaching allows us to share our enthusiasm and passion for our profession with students with the hope that at least some of them will come to share it. As we teach we also learn. A commitment to lifelong learning and faculty development is an essential component of successful teaching. The PAEA Faculty Development Institute is committed to helping educators develop the skills necessary to be successful in their roles as teachers. Whether you are responsible for designing and managing a course, creating and presenting lectures in the classroom, writing examinations, facilitating small group discussions, advising and mentoring students, or teaching students the technical skills required for clinical practice, the FDI can provide information and resources to help promote teaching excellence.