Bettie Coplan

Ethics, equity, and economics: a primer on women in medicine.

ABSTRACTWomen account for more than 70% of physician assistant (PA) students, 62% of practicing PAs, and 57% of faculty in PA programs. About half of all US medical students, 30% of actively practicing physicians, and 37% of faculty at academic medical centers are female. However, women in medicine are paid less than men for equal work effort and achieve fewer leadership positions within academia and medicine. Neglecting the skills and talents of women may lead to a workforce that fails to represent our patient and student populations.

Testosterone replacement therapy: take an informed, individualized approach.

&NA; Although current Endocrine Society guidelines support prescribing testosterone to patients with hypogonadism, the decision to treat may be best made on a case‐by‐case basis.

Pas in primary care: Current status and workforce implications

Objectives: Understanding the PA primary care workforce is an initial step toward greater use of primary care PAs in new healthcare delivery models. This study sought to describe primary care PA practice as it compares with PA practice in other specialties. Methods: Data from two 2015 national American Academy of Physician Assistants surveys were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Statistically significant differences between primary care and specialty PAs were assessed using tests of column proportions and tests of column means. Results: Compared with PAs in specialties, primary care PAs were older, saw more patients per week, and spent less time consulting with physicians. In addition, higher percentages were Hispanic, had a record of military service, and had plans to leave their specialty or retire. Conclusions: Primary care PAs appear to possess unique strengths; however, challenges to maintaining a primary care PA workforce are substantial.

Caring for veterans in the private sector.

Veterans have several significant healthcare needs that can be addressed in the primary care setting. Within the private sector, clinicians can use military and nonmilitary resources to provide care to this unique population. Recommendations for several veteran healthcare needs also are addressed.

Vomiting and periumbilical pain from an unexpected source of infection.

&NA; The triad of abdominal pain, fever, and vomiting in this 11‐year‐old girl led the pediatrician to refer her to the emergency department (ED) for evaluation of possible appendicitis.

The Professional Development Needs of Faculty of Physician Assistant Programs

INTRODUCTION The physician assistant (PA) educational community has exploded over the past decade. Since 1998, the number of accredited programs has grown from 110 to 148. In addition to these new programs, many established programs have increased class enrollment; the national median second-year class enrollment increased from 32 students in 2000-2001 to 38 students in 2007-2008.1,2 In order to satisfy the need for faculty, many PA programs have hired instructors directly from clinical practice who have little, if any, experience in teaching, curriculum design, and student assessment. This is not a new problem. In 1998, Glicken and Blessing coauthored a report, published in the predecessor to this journal, summarizing the results of a faculty needs assessment conducted by the Association of Physician Assistant Programs (APAP), now known as the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA).2 They cited the same challenge in recruiting faculty “directly from clinical medicine.”1 At the time of the original survey, the number of PA programs was also rapidly expanding and little was known about self-identified needs of PA faculty. The results of the Glicken and Blessing survey reinforced the value of in-person workshops covering such topics as classroom teaching, instructional design, assessment and evaluation, and communication skills1 and provided the framework for the eventual establishment of the PAEA Faculty Development Institute (FDI). The FDI is still in existence and is charged with promoting the professional development of PA program faculty and staff through enrichment, knowledge, and skills in the areas of education, scholarship, management, and leadership. Since its inception, the FDI has offered workshops geared towards PA educators at all levels of experience. Over the years, PAEA and the FDI have evolved to meet the changing needs of PA educators. With the Glicken and Blessing data now 10 years old, FDI decided to conduct a revised survey to identify current needs of PA faculty and to establish future directions.

Common signs and symptoms, and a diagnosis that is often overlooked.

&NA; Appropriate treatment of this underdiagnosed disease can resolve patient symptoms quickly and minimize the risk of complications. The trick is to consider the condition to begin with.