Leadership From a Different Lens: Shaping the Future of Healthcare Education

Physician assistant (PA) educators are responsible for preparing the next generation of PAs to be not only healthcare providers but also healthcare leaders. Regardless of whether advanced practice providers choose to pursue formal leadership roles in healthcare, they will undoubtedly be expected to possess and exhibit leadership skills. The PA profession indicates leadership as an important professional competency, yet leadership training is rare in current curricula. The PA community should consider the importance of leadership training for educators as they influence future PAs and the way PA students will affect their future patients and the healthcare systems for which they work. The aim of this article was to bring awareness to the need for leadership skill training in PA education, to review common leadership styles in healthcare, and to offer practical leadership tips to healthcare educators.