Advancing Physician Assistant Faculty Development: A New Model.

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to describe the development, implementation, and evaluation of an innovative physician assistant (PA) faculty development model. The Maryland Physician Assistant Leadership and Learning Academy's (PALLA's) executive team developed a 10-month fellowship designed to build a skilled faculty pipeline. The fellowship framework was grounded in the PA educator competencies, the 3 pillars of academia, and the 5th edition Accreditation Standards for Physician Assistant Education. The self-perceived impact of the fellowship was evaluated through multiple surveys. Survey results show that all of the learning activities met fellows' expectations, and fellows indicated strong agreement in self-perceived achievement in meeting the fellowship outcome goals. Study results provide evidence that formal training increases self-perceived competence in clinicians transitioning to academia. PALLA can serve as a model for other states to ensure faculty capacity within PA education.