Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 11, 2025
Setup and Execution of the Rapid Cycle Deliberate Practice Death Notification Curriculum
Published on: August 5, 2020
Competency Milestones in a Didactic Curriculum: An Innovative Accreditation Compliance Strategy That Enhances
Elizabeth H Schmidt1,2,3, Kevin Bogenschutz1,2,3, Anne Geary1,2,3
1Elizabeth H. Schmidt, DMS, PA-C, is an associate professor, PA Program director and Department chair, Department of PA Studies, at Butler University, Indianapolis, Indiana.
Introduction:
This article describes an innovative approach to accreditation compliance and to bridging the gap between didactic education and clinical practice through competency-based assessment (CBA) implemented during the final semester of the didactic phase in a physician assistant program. While CBA is more commonly used in the clinical phase, its application in the didactic curriculum represents a novel strategy for ensuring clinical rotation readiness while demonstrating compliance with Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant standards.
Methods:
This program developed 22 didactic competencies that aligned with programmatic competencies, providing students with multiple opportunities to demonstrate rotation-ready proficiency. Implementation included restructuring classroom time around focused clinical reasoning practice, problem-based learning, and objective structured clinical examinations with comprehensive feedback mechanisms. Assessment of effectiveness triangulated course outcomes, student perceptions, and preceptor evaluations.
Results:
The assessment demonstrates strong alignment between CBA experiences and clinical performance expectations. Student feedback highlighted the value of individualized guidance, practical preparation, and enhanced clinical reasoning skills. The approach successfully addressed key accreditation standards: curriculum competency design (B1.01), alignment of outcomes with competencies (B1.03e), and support of demonstrating effectiveness of didactic curriculum (C1.01b). Despite challenges, including resistance to change and assessment complexity, the CBA system improved student self-regulation through deliberate practice and reflection.
Discussion:
This compliance strategy offers physician associate/assistant programs an effective framework for developing confident, capable students truly prepared for clinical rotations while providing robust documentation of didactic design, alignment, and curriculum effectiveness for accreditation purposes.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Nursing Process for Patient and Caregiver Teaching I: Assessment and Diagnosis
It is critical to determine the patient's learning needs during the assessment. Determination of learning needs compounds data...
01:30National Nursing Organizations II
The AACN emphasizes a healthy work environment through six standards to achieve an optimal patient outcome. The standards are appropriate staffing, meaningful recognition, collaboration, authentic leadership, effective communication, and decision-making. In addition, AACN provides certification programs, webinars, journals, and...
01:30Accountability and Responsibility of a Nurse I
01:27Nursing Clinical Information System
A Nursing Clinical Information System (NCIS) is a specialized type of healthcare information system tailored to meet the unique needs of nursing practice. It incorporates the principles of nursing informatics to streamline information management and improve the quality of care delivery.
Critical attributes of NCIS include:
01:09Accountability and Responsibility of a Nurse II
For example, a nurse demonstrating respect and compassion might listen attentively to a patient's concerns, provide...
01:15Nursing Implementation
The five steps to implementing effective nursing care include reassessing the patient, reviewing and revising the existing nursing care plan, organizing the resources and care delivery, anticipating and preventing complications, and implementing nursing interventions.