Bridging the Gap: Implementing an Adjunct Faculty as a Remediation Specialist in a Physician Assistant/Associate...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Health Professions Education
• Physician Assistant/Associate Programs

Background:

• Accelerated physician assistant/associate programs face challenges in student remediation due to time constraints.
• Limited faculty time impacts the ability to address students falling behind in mastering knowledge and skills.
• A dedicated Remediation Specialist (RS) offers a potential solution to focused student support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of implementing a dedicated Remediation Specialist (RS) in an accelerated physician assistant/associate program.
• To assess the impact of a specialized role on student remediation and faculty workload.
• To determine if a discipline-specific RS enhances student learning outcomes.

Main Methods:

• A Remediation Specialist (RS) reviews assessments of students with failing grades.
• The RS develops and delivers timely review sessions based on identified common areas of weakness.
• Students requiring remediation complete a chosen assignment, and sessions are open to all didactic students.

Main Results:

• Implementation of an RS led to positive program outcomes and targeted remediation for students.
• Students received re-education in specific areas of curriculum deficiency.
• The time burden on core faculty was reduced, allowing for more focused teaching.

Conclusions:

• Dedicated remediation specialists are integral to health professions education, often improving pass rates and clinical skills.
• The program's RS, a trained physician assistant/associate, provided valuable discipline-specific support.
• This model effectively addresses student remediation needs within demanding academic environments.