The Intersection of Pedagogy and Andragogy in 3 + 2-Modeled Physician Assistant Programs: Five Lessons Learned

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Andragogy and Pedagogy in Health Professions

Background:

• Physician associate (PA) faculty require knowledge of pedagogy and andragogy for effective PA education.
• PA learners in 3+2 programs present unique challenges, bridging pedagogical and andragogical learning styles.
• PA programs with a preprofessional phase constitute 12.7% of all PA programs, necessitating tailored faculty strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide PA faculty with effective strategies for engaging learners in 3+2 PA programs.
• To address the gap in evidence-based educational models for PA programs with a preprofessional phase.

Main Methods:

• A literature search was conducted using PubMed, MEDLINE, and Google Scholar for "andragogy," "pedagogy," and "3+2 PA programs."
• The Journal of Physician Assistant Education was reviewed for relevant articles.
• The study synthesizes lessons learned from a faculty member experienced with both traditional and 3+2 PA learners.

Main Results:

• Minimal evidence currently guides PA faculty on educational models for 3+2 programs.
• Five key lessons learned are presented for faculty teaching in 3+2 PA programs.

Conclusions:

• Effective strategies for 3+2 PA programs include scaffolding, explaining the "why," emphasizing knowledge acquisition, integrating novel learning experiences, and fostering communication.
• These lessons are crucial for PA students in 3+2 programs and may benefit all PA students.
• Further research is needed specifically for PA programs with a preprofessional phase.