Emerging practices in onboarding programs for PAs: Strategies for onboarding.
Lorraine Anglin, Mara Sanchez, Rita Butterfield, Rachel Rana, Christine M Everett, Perri Morgan
Author Information
Lorraine Anglin: Lorraine Anglin is academic coordinator and a medical instructor in the PA program at Duke University in Durham, N.C., and practices at TROSA Medical Clinic in Durham. Mara Sanchez is an assistant professor in the PA program at Duke University. Rita Butterfield is a research program leader in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at Duke University School of Medicine. Rachel Rana is a former research program leader in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at Duke University School of Medicine. Christine M. Everett is an associate professor in the PA program in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health and the Department of Population Health Sciences at Duke University School of Medicine. Perri Morgan is a professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health and a professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences at Duke University School of Medicine. This project was funded by a grant award from the Physician Assistant Education Association in Washington, D.C. Funding of this project does not necessarily constitute an endorsement of the findings of this research report by the Physician Assistant Education Association. The authors have disclosed no potential conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise.
OBJECTIVE: This is the final article in a series that examines the role of onboarding programs for new physician assistants (PAs) and NPs. On-the-job learning is highly relevant for this workforce. Here we examine the strategies organizations use to impart information and skills in onboarding programs. METHODS: In 2018, we interviewed 13 administrators of onboarding programs. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed for themes by a team of researchers, with feedback from interviewees. RESULTS: Seven strategies were identified and are described in this article: Clinical mentoring, personal and professional mentoring, meeting with/shadowing other professionals, checking in by administrators, delivering didactic content, tailoring content or ramp-up, and assessing/ensuring competency. CONCLUSIONS: This article describes commonly used strategies in onboarding programs for PAs and NPs and can provide guidance to those designing their own onboarding programs. The programs we examined relied heavily on mentoring and other strategies appropriate for adult learners. Future work should evaluate the effectiveness of onboarding programs.
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