Genomics and PAs
Physician Assistant Education Association director at large Constance Goldgar wrote about PAs and genetics in the February issue of PAEA Networker.
For those members who were fortunate enough to be able to attend the plenary session given by Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), during the PAEA Annual Education Forum in Tucson this past year, it will come as no surprise that genomics is advancing at an even more rapid pace than he predicted when he and other NHGRI staff first met with the four physician assistant (PA) organizations in March 2007. At that time, Dr. Collins noted that “The physician assistant community is poised to use the power of the human genome to make a difference in public health by bringing genomics into practice.” As someone who has been involved in genetics education for some time, I would like to say that it has been an honor for the PA community to begin to respond to his charge. The excitement generated by the March meeting, followed by Dr. Collins’s plenary session in Tucson, justifies his confidence that the PA profession has a significant role to play in advancing the application of genomics (and genetics) in daily clinical practice.
Link to PAEA Networker
Goldgar, who is the director of graduate studies at the University of Utah PA program, helped develop an interactive educational Web site for PAs, PA students and PA educators.
The site features three clinical case scenarios that reflect common PA practice settings and situations and a set of core genetics competencies to guide the site's content. The cases are presented in a step-by-step approach that models a typical patient encounter and demonstrates the physician-PA relationship, communication and delegation skills, and patient-centered teams. The cases also model clinical problem solving by including all appropriate differential diagnoses and justifications for ruling them in or out. Additional components of the site complement the cases and introduce stand-alone genetic competencies — e.g., a genetics primer, a module on genetics testing, family history exercises, and teaching tools with links to other resources.
Link to "Genetics in the Physician Assistant's Practice"