Abstract:
Physical Exam Teaching Associates (PETAs) are an integral component in medical education. PETAs act as “faculty extenders” to teach students physical exam maneuvers according to accepted physical exam guidelines and often act as primary evaluators for the physical exam component in summative clinical exams. This session will describe the inception of a PETA Program, highlighting the characteristics Simulated Patients should possess prior to promotion to be a PETA. Initial training bootcamps, which are critical for new PETAs in building their confidence to be the teacher in the room and ensuring uniformity of instruction across all PETAs in the program, will be described including a typical agenda for teaching a body system. This will also include a description of the tools and techniques used in the training. The presenters will also provide an example of the student encounter timing and agenda. Quality assurance processes, and solicitation of student feedback will also be discussed. Finally, the use of PETAs as part of student self-directed learning will conclude the presentation.
Learning Objectives:
- Describe the utility of a Physical Exam Teaching Associate (PETA).
- Identify valuable training needs to developing and implementing a PETA Program in a Clinical Simulation department.
- Describe the methods to evaluate PETA effectiveness for improved healthcare simulation outcomes.