The Intersection of Pedagogy and Andragogy in 3 + 2-Modeled Physician Assistant Programs: Five Lessons Learned

Abstract

Introduction Physician associate/assistant (PA) faculty benefit from learning the definitions and applications of pedagogy and andragogy within PA education. However, we are now in an era where PA learners may fall along the continuum between pedagogy and andragogy, particularly in PA programs with a preprofessional phase such as the 3 + 2 model. Given PA programs with a preprofessional phase now make up 12.7% of all PA programs, faculty need to be equipped with effective strategies and techniques for engaging this population of learners. Methods PubMed, MEDLINE, and Google Scholar databases were queried to find existing research on the topics of andragogy and pedagogy in 3 + 2-modeled PA programs. The Journal of Physician Assistant Education was also reviewed for articles relevant to these topics. Results There is minimal evidence to guide PA faculty on education models, theory, or learning philosophy for students enrolled in 3 + 2 PA programs. As such, this manuscript presents 5 lessons learned from a former faculty member of a 3 + 2-modeled PA program who has experience teaching both traditional PA students in addition to 3 + 2 learners. Discussion The 5 lessons learned include the importance of scaffolding, explaining the “why,” emphasizing knowledge acquisition, integrating novel learning experiences, and creating channels for communication. While each of these lessons will apply to all PA students, they may be particularly impactful to those in 3 + 2-modeled PA programs. Moving forward, PA education would benefit from research dedicated to PA programs with a preprofessional phase.