Putting Learning into Practice – Michelle Drumgold
Name: Michelle Drumgold, MSPH, MSPAS, PA-C
Title: Chair / Program Director and Assistant Professor
Program: Meharry Medical College Physician Assistant Sciences Program
Program URL: https://home.mmc.edu/admissions/school-of-graduate-studies-research/physician-assistant-program/
What PAEA learning activity did you attend and when? New Program Directors Intensive, 2021-2022 (pilot version of the New Program Directors Accelerator)
Would you recommend this learning activity to other members and, if so, why? Yes, this is an excellent opportunity for new and experienced program directors to network, share lessons learned, exchange ideas, and better understand the role and responsibilities of PDs.
What was your biggest takeaway/”aha” moment? As a new program director, my biggest takeaway moment was identifying my leadership style and learning how to communicate more effectively with my team.
Tell us about what you have put into practice because of this learning activity. As a result of this training, I have instituted DiSC® Assessment for faculty and staff to ensure better cohesion with the team. In addition, I have begun meeting weekly with program-level leadership to improve communication and ensure ongoing goal tracking.
Meharry Medical College Physician Assistant Sciences Program has applied for Accreditation –Provisional from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). Meharry Medical College Physician Assistant Sciences Program anticipates matriculating its first class in January of 2023, pending achieving Accreditation –Provisional status at the June 2022 ARC-PA meeting. Accreditation –Provisional is an accreditation status granted when the plans and resource allocation, if fully implemented as planned, of a proposed program that has not yet enrolled students appear to demonstrate the program’s ability to meet the ARC-PA Standards or when a program holding accreditation-provisional status appears to demonstrate continued progress in complying with the Standards as it prepares for the graduation of the first class (cohort) of students.
The program is not yet accredited. Applicants for the inaugural MMC PA Sciences cohort will be notified only after the program receives notification of the June 2022 meeting decision of the ARC-PA Commission regarding the program’s Accreditation – Provisional application status. If the program is not granted Accreditation-Provisional status, all applicants will be notified, and the program will not accept any applicants for admission.
This article is part of the Putting Learning into Practice article series. We love to feature how our members are taking what they have learned through the professional development opportunities offered by PAEA and applying it to practice. Interested in being featured? Submit your Member Story on the PAEA website.
