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The article discusses the struggle of the U.S. health care system to make progress in the 6 main care delivery areas including patient safety, timely and efficient care. Topics discussed include the gap in the literature on quality improvement (QI) curricula for physician assistant (PA) education, the methods related to QI instruction such as classroom lecture on QI theory and the need to define what QI is to PAs to properly teach students on their role in improving delivery of health care.

The article provides information on the evidence-based medicine (EBM) writeup (EBMWU) which aids physician assistant faculty in the development of their own EBM course content. The article mentions that the EBMWU provides students with a set of "tools" with the goal of making informed clinical decisions with patient participation, and outlines the goals of the writeup. The components of the EBMWU and its requirements are also explained. INSET: Feature Editor¿s Note.

The article compares the attributes of four evidence-based databases including UpToDate, DynaMed, Essential Evidence Plus, and ACP-PIER (Physicians' Information and Education Resource) while examining their application to the physician assistant (PA) student learners and to assist the faculty in providing answers to background and foreground clinical questions. Also highlighted are the factors to be considered by the faculty while recommending databases including the stage of clinical training.

The article focuses on the usefulness of turning research into practice (TRIP) to evidence-based medicine (EBM) resources for physician assistants. It allows health professionals to easily obtain the highest-quality material available on the web that aid support to evidence based practice. It notes that the TRIP database is a tool for locating the highest possible level of evidence with which to inform clinical decisions by the principles of EBM.

Recognizing that genetics is playing a larger role in clinical practice, the challenge for physician assistant (PA) educators is to prepare our students with an appropriate foundation of knowledge, skills, and attitudes. A knowledge base of fundamental genetic principles and approaches is essential, as are the skills that will allow students to apply these principles in the clinic and to exhibit professional attitudes related to genetic information and diagnosis. Such knowledge, skills, and attitudes will be required for common clinical tasks, for example, when assessing familial risk for common diseases as well as ordering, interpreting, and explaining genetic test results to a patient. PA programs need to develop appropriate curricula to meet this dynamic challenge. As a companion piece to recently proposed genetics competencies, a concise outline of recommendations for a PA medical genetics curriculum is offered. The recommendations are designed to assist in teaching PA students the knowledge, skills, and attitudes they require to meet the demands of genomic medicine. A wide variety of teaching and evaluation methods, including didactic lectures, Web-assisted learning, and clinical experience, are proposed. In addition, specific valid genetics Web resources are presented for teaching, genetic education, primary care clinicians, and students. Teaching should be related to clinical cases and/or experiences whenever possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides information on DynaMed, a computer and Personal Digital Assistant database, used by physician assistant educators as an evidence-based Medicine resource in their curriculum. It relates that DynaMed is a continuous clinical reference tool that includes about 3,000 topics with new clinical evidence. Further, it presents various examples and discussions on the processes, uses, benefits, as well as the additional features, which show the efficiency of this resource.

Purpose: The explosion of genetic information resulting from the Human Genome Project and related advances has major implications for health care providers, including PAs. In order to assess the current state of genetics education in PA programs and the needs of PA program faculty related to teaching genetics and developing curricula, the authors and the Association undertook a survey of PA programs. Methods: A Web-based survey containing 18 multiple-check. Likert scale, and open-ended questions was sent to the directors of the 134 accredited PA programs in February of 2007. Results: 100 programs responded, for a 75% response rate. Eighty-one percent of responding programs expressed the need to enhance the quality and extent of genetic and molecular medicine in their curricula, and 62% planned to make changes in the near future. Genetics education is delivered with an assortment of curriculum models and taught with a rich variety of methods. It was surprising to find some salient concepts not being taught in 12-16% of programs: eg, molecular biology, Mendelian and non-Mendelian inheritance, pedigree structure, and genetic diagnostic testing. Pharmacogenomics is taught in only two thirds of programs. PA program core faculty play a major role in teaching genetics. PA program respondents indicated the following to be particularly helpful for genetics curriculum development: (1) centrally developed resources, (2) genetic case studies, and (3) up-to-date valid resources on the Web for educators and students. Conclusions: PA programs dearly see the importance of genetics in PA education, but have expressed the need for more resources to further develop their curricula. It is hoped that this survey will provide baseline data that will aid in the development of competencies and curricular components in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the compliance of physical assistant (PA) programs of three universities in the U.S. with the new standard regarding genetics and the molecular basis of health and disease. A stand-alone course in human genetics became part of Midwestern University's PA program in Illinois. The PA program at Philadelphia University decided to follow the approach that medical genetics should be addressed in each course throughout the phase curriculum.

The article focuses on the need of revising the evidence-based medicine (EBM) curriculum to be able to improve the healthcare services in McAllen, Texas. It has been cited that the state needs to create health care organizations because of the absence tertiary care centers. This leads to the reform of the EBM course which will help people become healthier. EBM is supported by U.S. President Barack Obama by citing the need to invest in testing and therapies which can improve health.

The article provides information on a series titled "Tips for Learning and Teaching Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM)" formed by the EBM Teaching Tips Working Group in Canada. The authors of the series have remarked that it emphasizes to both clinical learners and teachers of EBM principles. It is aimed to guide teachers on clinical settings, such as ward rounds, during journal club exercises and in formal lectures.

The translation of genetic and genomic science to clinical care has significant implications for the physician assistant (PA) profession. Similar to other health care professionals, PAs will need to develop strategies for applying new knowledge in genetics. In response to this need, the authors have undertaken to define the essential genetic and genomic competencies for all PAs, regardless of academic preparation, role, or clinical specialty. The authors' intention in developing these genetics/genomics competencies is to encourage PA educators to seek out academic curriculum content/learning activities based on the most current genetic and evidence-based information. They are proposed to complement the Competencies for the Physician Assistant Profession. Practicing PAs can also use these to chart a course for advancing their own practice. The proposed essential competencies were developed by a panel of physicians and PA leaders from clinical, research, and academic settings, whose goal was to establish the minimum basis by which to prepare the PA workforce to deliver competent genetic/genomic clinical care. This is an ad hoc group of academicians interested in promoting competency and has no official affiliation or sponsorship by any professional association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a capstone project of the master's evidence-based medicine (EBM) curriculum at the University of Utah. Elements in the practice of EMB are identified including the area of clinical uncertainty, selection of appropriate resources for the conduct of research, and outcome evaluation. Moreover, a concept was demonstrated wherein student's scholarly works cannot only satisfy their graduation requirements but also can extend into scholarly publication.