MTA 3: Meet the Authors

ePoster Meet the Authors (MTA): 4-minute ePoster presentations within a 60-minute time block in Expo, not eligible for CME


ePoster 1: Criminal Justice Education Among Dual Degree Physician Assistant Students
With 5.4 million individuals in the U.S. who either incarcerated or under criminal legal supervision as of 2021, this is a growing population that PA students will inevitably come into contact with during their careers. This study looks at the effects of criminal justice education on PA student stigmatization of individuals with a history of criminal legal involvement.
Speaker: Juliana Walton, MSPAS, MPH, PA-C – Physician Assistant, Touro University California
Joy A. Moverley, DHSc, MPH, PA-C, DFAAPA – Program Director, Touro University California


ePoster 2: Error Disclosure: Simulated Practice Builds Student Confidence
Medical errors are among the leading causes of death in the United States. Disclosing a medical error requires clear communication, honesty, and empathy from the physician assistant (PA) and other medical providers. This simulation experience demonstrated an increase in PA and nursing students’ confidence with performing medical error disclosure. This presentation addresses ethical and professional issues affecting PAs and is relevant for practicing PAs, PA students and medical educators.
Speaker: Tracy L. Cleveland, EdD, MS, PA-C – Professor, Physician Assistant, University of South Dakota

Additional Authors:
Amber K. Evenson, Assistant Professor, Physician Assistant, University of South Dakota
Katie K. Kassin, Assistant Professor, Physician Assistant, University of South Dakota
William Schweinle, PhD, Professor, University of South Dakota


ePoster 3: Filling the Bone Health Educational Void: PAs as Patient Advocates
The National Spine Health Foundation’s Spine and Bone Health Task Force conducted a public survey on bone health basics to determine knowledge gaps. This study will inform the creation of content to close these gaps and achieve meaningful gains in the silent epidemic of osteoporosis and low bone mass. Without clear ownership of bone health within the medical community, PAs are primed to fill this void as patient advocates in both medical and surgical specialties.
Speaker: Lindsay DAWN Orosz, MSPAC – Director of Research, National Spine Health Foundation

Additional Authors:
Rita Roy – MD, CEO, The National Spine Health Foundation
Benjamin Elder – MD, Spine surgeon, Mayo Clinic
Venu Nemani – MD, Spine surgeon, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health
Ganesh Shankar – MD, Spine Surgeon, Massachusetts General Hospital
Zeeshan Sardar – MD, Spine Surgeon, Columbia Orthopaedics
Paul Anderson – MD, Spine surgeon, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine
John Dimar – MD, Spine Surgeon, University of Louisville School of Medicine


ePoster 4: From Aspiration to Matriculation: Enhancing Pre-PA Applicants’ Success
This session is for educators, mentors, and program leaders supporting pre-PA applicants. Learn about a national initiative that significantly boosted interview and acceptance rates for underrepresented applicants. Key strategies include mentorship, application guidance, and mock interviews. Attendees will gain practical tools to enhance applicant confidence, overcome barriers, and increase success in the PA application process.
Speaker: Lucy W. Kibe, DrPH, PA-C – Associate Professor & Program Director, Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science
Holly W. Johnson – Program Manager, Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science

Additional Authors:
Olore W. Imoohi – Program Coordinator, Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science


ePoster 5: GPA and PANCE Performance Among PA Students with Disability Accommodations
Many college students in the U.S. use disability accommodations, and their use has been shown to increase retention and college success. Understanding the role of accommodations in PA education is essential to ensure that PA students with disabilities are trained equitably and effectively. This research evaluated data on accommodations granted during PA school, GPAs, and first-time PANCE pass rates for 1128 students from four schools and five cohorts, graduation years 2019 through 2023.
Speaker: Hannah Anderson – Hannah Anderson, MSPAS, PA-C, University of Kentucky
Nicole M. Curry, MCMS, MJ, PA-C – Assistant Professor, The George Washington University

Additional Authors:
Renee Andreeff – Renee Andreeff Ed.D., PA-C, DFAAPA, Butler University
Shelby Edwards – Shelby Edwards, DHSc, PA-C, CHSE, D'Youville University


ePoster 6: DMS Outcomes: Transforming PA Careers, Leadership & Scholarship
Despite rapid growth, the value, outcomes and impact of DMS programs remain uncertain. This study examined career transitions and scholarship productivity of 300 PAs before and after obtaining the DMS. We learned that scholarly productivity is increasing slowly and concentrated in a few individuals. DMS degrees have paved the way for PAs to undergo career transition and entering new fields such as academia, pharma/biotech, or starting their own businesses.
Speaker: Gerald Kayingo, PhD, PA-C – Professor, PALLA

Authors:
Andrew Stakem – Program Evaluation, Data Analytics, and Accreditation Specialist, University of Maryland Physician Assistant Leadership and Learning Academy (PALLA)
Lucy W. Kibe, DrPH, PA-C - Associate Professor & Program Director, Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science


ePoster 7: Recurrent Dental Aspiration in a Medically Complex Patient
Pediatric foreign body aspiration is a surgical emergency requiring prompt intervention. Food accounts for the majority of aspirations in the pediatric population. However, in the medically complex population accidental aspiration of naturally exfoliating teeth has been noted but a definitive treatment pathway has not yet been developed. This is a case study reviewing a patient with recurrent dental aspirations and proposing new care pathways for implementation.
Speaker: Anna Shafer, MMSc, PA-C – Physician Assistant, Texas Children's Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine

Additional Authors:
Yi-Chun Carol Liu – Attending Physician, Otolaryngology, Assistant Professor, Texas Children's Hospital
Shraddha S. Mukerji – Associate Professor, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital
Mary Frances Musso - Assistant Professor Pediatric Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital


ePoster 8: Perceptions of Point-of-Care Ultrasound in Physician Assistant Anatomy Education
POCUS is recognized as a valuable tool in medical training and clinical practice to enhance diagnostic skills and improve understanding of anatomy. The study incorporated POCUS into active learning anatomy sessions for 65 first year PA students. Sessions improved students' understanding of clinical anatomy and contributed to their success in the curriculum. These findings highlight the need to expand POCUS in PA education to meet the demands and prepare students for modern clinical practice.
Speaker: Caylea L. Molyneux, PA-S – Physician Assistant Student, University of California, Davis

Additional Authors:
Emily C. Thatcher, MPAS, PA-C – Assistant Clinical Professor, University of California, Davis
Cara M. Sandholdt – Assistant Clinical Professor, University of California, Davis


ePoster 9: Fading Minds: Why Minorities are Left Behind in Dementia Care
Using local demographic data and geriatric clinic data, this presentation identifies statistically significant gaps in dementia care in racial and ethnic minority groups. It examines key barriers, such as socioeconomic factors, and proposes actionable solutions, such as increased culturally component care and recruiting more PAs into geriatric clinics. It aims to emphasize the need for equitable dementia care to enhance outcomes for underserved populations.
Speaker: Faiza Qureshi – PAS-2, UC Davis

Additional Authors:
Emily C. Thatcher, MPAS, PA-C – Assistant Clinical Professor, University of California, Davis
Victoria L. Jackson, DNP, RN, PHN, FNP-C, PA-C – Assistant Clinical Professor, University of California, Davis