9 Tactics to Strengthen PA Education During COVID-19 and Beyond

The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.

–Marcus Aurelius

As health systems and universities face unprecedented change, budget cuts, and the transition to distance learning during coronavirus (COVID-19), PA educators are finding ways to not only survive but thrive in a digital environment.  

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High-quality, comprehensive, online educational content is a natural resource for programs transitioning to distance learning, and Rosh Review has worked hard to fit this niche. Equally important to the content are the tools that help PA program leaders consolidate expensive resources and time-intensive tasks into one platform. We’ve had hundreds of new programs and thousands of new learners join Rosh Review in the past month, so we’ve learned what matters most to PA program leaders across the country.

Whether or not you subscribe to Rosh Review, we’d like to share the 9 most successful strategies and tactics used by PA program leaders who turned pandemic lemons into lemonade by adjusting their training programs. We hope you’ll find inspiration for your program.

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1. Spend precious nonclinical time on high-yield education activities

Streamline the creation of assessments, rotation exams, and remediation content.

2. Consolidate board review materials and Qbanks if you have more than one

Choose the resource that gives you the most value, and be sure to choose one that is frequently updated.

3. Review library site licenses to medical education and board review content

Look for resources that are underused by students. You should choose a resource that your students love and recommend to their colleagues.

4. Use tools that easily capture key metrics and allow for simplified review

This adds efficiency to organizing accreditation data.

5. Cut spending on audience response systems

Replace it with online heat maps to identify group performance.

6. Reallocate funds used for travel to regional and national conferences

7. Repurpose funds allocated to in-person conference expenses

Take funds geared toward food, drinks, and speaker travel and honoraria and tap into institutional web collaboration tools (e.g., Zoom, Webex, Hangouts) for distance learning.

8. Consider secure digital alternatives for important evaluations

Many of the secure in-person assessments are postponed, canceled, or too expensive.

9. Look for technology platforms that support synchronous and asynchronous activities

Identify tools that allow educators to tailor assessments to reinforce concepts presented at web conferences or operate as a stand-in for canceled educational activities.

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As students experience disruptions in their didactic and clinical education, PA program leaders are focused even more on delivering high-quality content that meets ARC-PA and NCCPA recommendations and requirements. 

Now is the time to double down on evidence-based education design. These challenges may feel like obstacles, but they can be opportunities to reassess and reevaluate what matters most. “The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.”

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Learn more about how Rosh Review is helping programs with distance learning.