Shaun Horak, DMSc, PA-C, is a PA program associate director/DMSc director/assistant professor at University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), Omaha, Nebraska.
Pamela Dickey, MPAS, PA-C, is a PA program admissions director/assistant professor at University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), Omaha, Nebraska.
J Physician Assist Educ. 2024 Sep 1;35(3):221-227. doi: 10.1097/JPA.0000000000000578.
The integration of arts and humanities (A&H) into physician assistant (PA) preclinical curriculum may enhance student performance and improve their patient rapport. Arts and humanities content could promote the personal and professional qualities we desire in clinicians including competence, compassion, and empathy. The aim of this research was to determine what PA students report learning from A&H modules designed to foster personal insight and perspective-taking.
The "Introduction of Humanities & Arts into Physician Assistant Education" (IHAPAE) project is an intercampus collaboration between 2 Midwest Universities. The IHAPAE faculty collaboratively created and delivered A&H-based modules within first-year communication courses. Two cohorts of PA students (N = 130) participated in modules and subsequently attended exploratory focus groups to elicit their perceptions of the A&H curriculum.
Using a constructivist grounded theory approach for data analysis, we found that PA students perceived multiple benefits. Specifically, module content promoted reflection and stress reduction, improved their continuity of care notes, provided utility in cultivating empathy in patient communication, and introduced students to A&H approaches they could recommend to patients.
The process model that emerged from student perceptions fits well with existing emotional regulation theory and provides empirical evidence for cultivation of empathy and patient-centeredness. Given the positive outcomes of our project, PA programs should consider the value of incorporating the A&H activities into their curriculum to enhance the student experience and develop essential provider attributes and skills.
将艺术和人文学科（A&H）融入医师助理（PA）的临床前课程中，可能会提高学生的表现，并改善他们与患者的关系。艺术和人文学科的内容可以促进我们期望临床医生具备的个人和专业素质，包括能力、同情心和同理心。本研究的目的是确定 PA 学生从旨在培养个人洞察力和换位思考能力的 A&H 模块中报告的学习内容。
“将人文艺术引入医师助理教育”（IHAPAE）项目是两所中西部大学之间的校园间合作。IHAPAE 教师共同创建并在第一年的沟通课程中提供基于 A&H 的模块。两批 PA 学生（N=130）参加了模块，随后参加了探索性焦点小组，以了解他们对 A&H 课程的看法。
使用建构主义扎根理论方法进行数据分析，我们发现 PA 学生有多种感知。具体而言，模块内容促进了反思和减轻压力，改善了他们的连续护理记录，在培养患者沟通中的同理心方面提供了实用价值，并向学生介绍了他们可以向患者推荐的 A&H 方法。
从学生的角度来看，出现的过程模型与现有的情绪调节理论非常吻合，并为同理心和以患者为中心的培养提供了实证证据。鉴于我们项目的积极成果，PA 项目应考虑将 A&H 活动纳入课程，以增强学生的体验并培养必要的提供者属性和技能。
