The Design and Implementation of a Professional Development Program for Physician Assistants in an Academic Emergency...

Area of Science:

• Emergency Medicine
• Physician Assistant Studies
• Academic Medical Education

Background:

• Physician assistants (PAs) are increasingly vital in academic emergency departments (EDs).
• Existing models for PA integration often focus narrowly on residency training.
• A gap exists in structured programs for PA involvement in broader departmental missions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the creation and 5-year outcomes of a novel professional development program for PAs in an academic ED.
• To facilitate PA integration into departmental educational activities, scholarship, and operations.
• To provide a framework for PA growth, personal development, and continuous education.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of a professional development program offering protected time and mentorship for PAs.
• Focus on developing PAs as content experts in academic areas of interest.
• Tracking program growth, PA roles within departmental divisions, and retention rates over five years.

Main Results:

• Program expansion from 6 PAs in 2013 to 24 PAs in 2018.
• PAs integrated into formal roles across five of eight departmental divisions.
• Higher retention rate for PAs in the program (90.2%) compared to those not in the program (85.7%).

Conclusions:

• Investing in PA professional development significantly enhances their integration into academic ED missions.
• The program demonstrates a successful model for PA involvement in education, administration, and research.
• This approach offers a valuable alternative to traditional service-based models for PAs in academic settings.