Project Access

These are the important dates for the 2023 student competition:

• July 19 – Registration open
• August 7 – Registration closed at 11:59pm ET
• August 28 – Complete project plans due by 11:59pm ET
• October 6-12 – Teams should plan to host their events during or prior to PA Week
• October 12 – PAEA Awards Ceremony where student champion will receive Brenda Jasper Project Access Award

Each team’s event will be judged based on the following criteria:

• Project Plan – Team submits fully developed plan, which includes PA student team members information, local school visit information (demographics, location, numbers, plans for evaluations), a timeline for the activity, implementation, and follow-up, and a wire-frame or outline of the actual activity or activities planned
• Engagement – Local students are engaged in activity and learning, not just watching a video or Powerpoint
• Originality – Project/Event innovates on the standard model for events (more than just showing students the PAEA powerpoint)
• Clarity of Expression – Project clearly describes the profession and translates the information to the specific audience
• Creativity – Team uses multiple mediums and innovative means of delivering the message; project has entertainment quality
• Impact/Sustainability – Team forges a connection between school/program and follow up activities are planned or scheduled

Bonus Points – We will award bonus points based on the grades the team’s visit:

• 3 points – Visits to K-8 grades
• 2 points – Visits to 9-12 grades
• 1 point – Visits to community college and/or undergrad

Winners:

• 1st Place: Wake Forest University PA Program
• 2nd Place: Mary Baldwin University, Murphy Deming College of Health Sciences
• 3rd Place (TIE): University of Washington – MEDEX NW PA program
• 3rd Place (TIE): University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Scoring Rubric:

Each team’s event will be judged based on the following criteria:

• Project Plan – Team submits fully developed plan, which includes PA student team members information, local school visit information (demographics, location, numbers, plans for evaluations), a timeline for the activity, implementation, and follow-up, and a wire-frame or outline of the actual activity or activities planned
• Engagement – Local students are engaged in activity and learning, not just watching a video or Powerpoint
• Originality – Project improves upon old Project Access model
• Clarity of Expression – Project clearly describes the profession and translates the information to the audience
• Creativity – Team uses multiple mediums and innovative means of delivering the message; project has entertainment quality
• Impact/Sustainability – Team forges a connection between school/program and follow up activities are planned or scheduled

Participating Programs & Projects:

• Butler University
  • Project Plan
  • PowerPoint Presentation
  • Welcome to Butler TikTok
  • Why PA TikTok
• Campbell University
  • Project Plan
• DeSales University
  • Project Plan
  • PowerPoint Presentation
  • Day in the Life Video 1
  • Day in the Life Video 2
• Dominican University of California
  • Project Plan
  • PowerPoint Presentation
• Duke PA Program
  • Project Plan
  • PowerPoint Presentation
• Gardner-Webb University PA Program
• Hardin-Simmons University
• Ithaca College PA Program
• Johnson and Wales University PA Program
• Marshall University
• Mary Baldwin University Murphy Deming College of Health Sciences
• Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions
• Mercer University
• Northwestern University
• Oregon Health and Science University
• Rosalind Franklin University
• San Juan Bautista School of Medicine
• Springfield College
• University of Alabama at Birmingham
• University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences PA Program
• University of Colorado Anschutz CHAPA Program
• University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• University of South Carolina PA Program
• University of Southern California MPAP
• University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
• University of Washington MEDEX NW, Seattle
• University of Washington MEDEX NW, Tacoma
• Wake Forest University
• Wayne State University
• Wingate University

Winners:

• 1st Place: Ithaca College PA Program
• 2nd Place (TIE): University of Washington – MEDEX NW PA Program
• 2nd Place (TIE): Wingate University PA Program

Participating Programs & Projects:

• AdventHealth University:
  • The AdventHealth University team did presentations at a local high school with a medical magnet program. They personalized the PAEA PowerPoint and presented it in an information session in addition to coordinating breakout sessions with the attendees where the PA students demonstrated skills they have learned, such as obtaining vitals and using medical equipment. Finally, the team utilized a Kahoot game to gauge participation and reception of information presented, and provided the attendees with educational pamphlets and swag. Attendees who indicate interest in the profession will be brought to the AdventHealth campus during the spring sememster for an official tour and an inclusive experience in the medical simulation lab.
    • Team PowerPoint Presentation
    • Team Kahoot!
• Campbell University
• Case Western Reserve University
• Des Moines University:
  • The Des Moines University team did a presentation at a local high school. The students played a video for the students that they created themselves (linked below), answered questions about PA education, specialties, and about the student presenters’ backgrounds, and set up skill stations for the student attendees to rotate through. There were five stations and included human organs (heart, lungs, and brains) for students to see and touch while hearing key anatomy facts, medical models of bones, heart, and pelvic region, listening to heart sounds with stethoscopes, learning to take blood pressure, and learning to wrap writs in case of fracture and using otoscope and opthalmoscope. Plans are plans being made to repeat this event once a year at this local high school, and the students were encouraged to reach out for advice, guidance, and support. The Des Moines University team would like to set up a new program within the DMU PA program to provide these informational and hands on sessions to middle and high school students at least four times a year.
    • Team Video – This video was posted on Facebook and Instagram and was used during the school visit. It will also be used going forward in all school visits to teach about the PA profession.
• DeSales University:
  • The DeSales University team did a virtual presentation via Zoom to a local 4th grade class. The students used a slideshow presentation to educate the students on what PAs are, what they do and where they do it, and basic information on becoming a PA. They also reviewed a simple medical case with the class. Because a majority of the students were Hispanic, the team utilized materials in both English and Spanish.
    • Team Info Sheet
    • Team Info Sheet – Spanish
    • Team PowerPoint Presentation
• Duke University PA Program:
  • The Duke University team created an Instagram video explaining what students need to prepare when considering PA school – Team Instagram Video
• Franklin Pierce University Master of Physician Assistant Program
• Ithaca College PA Program:
  • The Ithaca College team created a multi-part plan (plan themes below) that was specific to the Ithaca College mission and it’s prospective students, and aimed to implement awareness through a variety of in-person and virtual experiences. These experiences included in-person events around the Ithaca area such as the Apple Festival, New Visions, and a presentation with Ithaca High School. The students created a 3-5 minute video highlighting JEDI values and directing potential learners to the annual presentation during PA Week. The Ithaca team has created plans for the future cohorts to offer services to minority students and underrepresented communities through shadowing opportunities, resume, interview, and prerequisite review, and starting a foundation to assist underrepresented students as they apply to PA programs.
    • Team Outline
    • Team PowerPoint Presentation

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    The multi-part plan was centered around themes of:

    • Collaboration – The team created an advertising video that highlights JEDI values and directs prospective students to a future virtual meeting, in-person advertisement of Project Access was done at the Ithaca Apple Festival (a community event), and a virtual experience was utilized for students of various programs to learn about the PA profession and to provide resources regarding PA admissions.
    • Awareness – The team identified areas in which minoritized individuals and underserved populations are at a significant disadvantage based on the color of their skin, sexual identity, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status. The team then directed students towards resources their program has developed with those realizations in mind.
    • Education – The team aimed to provide information about the profession and resources to those who may not have the opportunity to make decisions on their education to follow a path that leads to becoming a PA. Members of the student team shared their stories in the hopes of creating connections based on similar trials and tribulations the potential learners may have faced in their own lives.
    • Making Change – The PA Class of 2023 has already begun making changes to the PA program by-laws to implement this program with each future cohort to preserve its longevity and set expectations.
• MCPHS University Boston:
  • The MCPHS University Boston team conducted presentations for two different schools, one in-person and one via Zoom. They created a PowerPoint to share with the students to help them become familiar with the PA profession and how PAs can expand access to care in underserved communities. For the in-person presentation, the team brought some of their medical equipment (BP cuff, stethoscope, tuning forks, opthalmoscopes) to demonstrate what tools a PA can utilize.
• MGH Institute of Health Professions
• Northwestern College PA Program:
  • The Northwestern College team presented to middle school students in their biology class. They opened with an informative PowerPoint presentation describing the PA profession and then broke into small groups for PA skills stations which included ortho splinting, heart and lung auscultation, epi pen trainer administration/tourniquet practice for vein identification, and CC/HPI gathering.
• University of Alabama at Birmingham
• University of Kentucky
• University of South Alabama Physician Assistant Studies
• University of Washington MEDEX NW, Seattle:
  • The University of Washington MEDEX Northwest team presented to 6th grade health and science students at a local middle school across three different class periods. One day prior to the visit, the learners completed a pre-test concerning their knowledge regarding the PA profession, and the learners viewed the “Project Access: My PA Path” video. On the Project Access event day, the team presented a variety of activities, listed below:
    1. Intitial questions based on the current lessons being taught in the health and science course, to include microbiomes and metabolism.
    2. The team deconstructed the PAEA Project Access Toolkit into a Kahoot! presentation/game and questions were presented throughout the presentation for which the students were allowed to pick an answer choice.
    3. The team presented key information about the PA profession, the importance of representation in the PA profession (with the presenters sharing their personal journeys), and reiterated the need for the students to (hopefully) consider joining the PA profession, but most importantly the hope for them to be happy and successful.
    4. A medical equipment demonstration with students allowed to try out the equipment and ask questions.

    After completion of the Project Access event, the team had a series of post-presentation assignments. Each student attendee should use their talents (e.g. art, music, TikTok videos, etc.) to describe what a PA is and why diversity is important in the profession. They also completed a post-test concerning their knowledge regarding the PA profession.

    • Team Pre-Test
    • Team Post-Test
• West Chester University
• Wingate University:
  • The Wingate University team presented to six classes at four different schools in one day. The team’s presentation included an informative PowerPoint, which incorporated TikTok videos, a test of the student attendees’ knowledge on the information presented, a demonstration of the usage of ultrasound when evaluating for injuries.
    • Team PowerPoint Presentation
• Yale University Physician Assistant Online Program:
  • The Yale University PA Online Team created a series of “mini” commercials/PSAs about what a PA is, who can be a PA, where they work and what they can do. The 1-3 minute videos were posted on a variety of social media platforms and shown to three different high schools.
    • Team Video 1 – What is a PA?
    • Team Video 2 – Who can be a PA?

Scoring Rubric:

Each team’s event will be judged based on the following criteria:

• Engagement – Local students are engaged in activity and learning, not just watching a video or Powerpoint
• Originality – Project improves upon old Project Access model
• Clarity of Expression – Project clearly describes the profession and translates the information to the audience
• Creativity – Team uses multiple mediums and innovative means of delivering the message; project has entertainment quality
• Impact/Sustainability – Team forges a connection between school/program and follow up activities are planned or scheduled