The benefits and limitations of establishing the PA profession globally: A systematic review and mixed-methods study.

Objective: Physician associates/assistants (PAs) and their equivalents offer a solution to the supply and demand crisis to alleviate global healthcare needs. This study investigated how PA and PA equivalents address global healthcare needs across different healthcare systems, revealing recommendations for their use. The study also sought to catalog the global healthcare needs that PAs and equivalents are successfully alleviating, the roles in which they function, and the barriers facing implementation.

Exploring Potential Challenges in Implementing a Standardized Curriculum for the Physician Associate Program in India: Insights From Stakeholder Discussions.

Introduction: This article explores the potential challenges in implementing a national-level standardized curriculum for physician associate (PA) programs in India, an initiative under the directions of the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professionals Act of 2021.

Methods: Initiated in August 2023, a multistage process began with emailing a draft curriculum for review to key stakeholders, followed by a virtual meeting on September 3. Key stakeholders, including faculty from various universities, participated in focus group discussions (FGDs) at the International Association of Physician Associate Educators and the Indian Association of Physician Assistants annual conference on September 21, 2023, in Gandhinagar.

Investigation of the diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging within the undergraduate student population within the Department of Animal Science at Iowa State University.

Iowa State University (ISU) provides resources for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEI-B) to provide students with a comfortable academic home regardless of their demographics or prior experiences. The objective of this study was to investigate undergraduate students' DEI-B perspectives in the Department of Animal Science at ISU. One survey instrument was developed containing 14 questions that covered demographics, feelings of inclusion, comfort-seeking tools, and ways to improve DEI-B.

Systems Thinking and Sustainable Food Systems in Dietetics Education: A Survey of Directors.

Background: Systems thinking is recommended, but not required, for teaching food and water system sustainability in nutrition and dietetics education.

Objective: This study investigated systems thinking and sustainable, resilient, and healthy food and water systems (SRHFWS) in nutrition and dietetics programs. It examined program directors' practices, values, attitudes, confidence levels, and the relationships between systems thinking, teaching SRHFWS topics, confidence levels, and years of experience as a dietitian and program director.

South Africa celebrates 15 years of clinical associates.

Clinical associates (ClinAs) in South Africa are modeled after physician associates in the United States and the Netherlands and clinical officers elsewhere in Africa. The first ClinAs began their education in 2008 and started working in 2011. Three universities offer a 3-year bachelor of clinical medical practice degree.

Curricula Mapping of Physician Associate/Physician Assistant-Comparable Professions Worldwide Using the Learning Opportunities, Objectives, and Outcomes Platform.

Given the international growth of physician associate/physician assistant (PA) and PA-comparable professions, it is crucial to understand the educational curricula of PA/PA-comparable professions worldwide. This article provides an overview of the process and development of the PA/PA-comparable curricula mapping design applying an international framework. It uses an innovative web-based tool, the Learning Opportunities, Objectives, and Outcomes Platform (LOOOP), to map and evaluate course content, teaching strategies, assessment formats, and learning outcomes.

Assessing Youth Safety Knowledge through the Agriculture Experience Tracker (AET).

The purpose of this study was to assess high school agricultural education youth safety knowledge. The target population consisted of high school agricultural education youth, ages 14-19 years, who were enrolled in School Based Agricultural Education programs that utilized the AET agricultural safety exam feature between the dates of May 2019 and June 2020 (N=1478). The safety knowledge questions were randomly generated from the National Safe Tractor and Machinery Operation Program instructor curriculum resources.

Effectiveness of Utilizing an Evidence Based Safety Curriculum to Increase Student Knowledge.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of utilizing an evidence based, "Train the Trainer" approach to increase the safety knowledge and awareness of secondary students. Participating teachers attended a 10-hour, inquiry-based summer training workshop utilizing National Safe Tractor and Machinery Operations Program (NSTMOP) materials focusing on roll-over protection structures, mini-tilt table construction, and on-farm tractor risk assessments. Teachers incorporated workshop lessons into existing curricula.

Opinions of supervisors of clinical associates in South African district hospitals.

Objective: To determine the opinions of supervising physicians about the introduction of clinical associates at South African district hospitals in 2012.

Methods: Twenty-four healthcare professionals in Gauteng and North West provinces were selected to participate in cross-sectional qualitative interviews exploring their opinions on the clinical practice of clinical associates, the effect of the new cadre, their achievements, and the concerns of the supervisors. The inductive content analysis process generated several themes.

Clinical Associate students' perception of the educational environment at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.

Background: An important determinant of a student's behaviour and performance is the school's teaching and learning environment. Evaluation of such an environment can explore methods to improve educational curricula and academic atmosphere.

Aim: To evaluate the educational environment of the Bachelor of Clinical Medicine Practice programme as perceived by students at the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa.