Objective: To examine the occurrence, benefits, and preferences for peer assisted learning (PAL) in medical and allied health clinical education, and to identify areas in athletic training which need further research. Data Sources: Using relevant terms, five databases were searched for the period 1980-2006 regarding literature on the use of PAL in…

Context: Limited literature explores professional preparation of program directors (PD) to lead an athletic training education program (ATEP). Objective: To explore challenges, effectiveness, leadership, and PD role selection. Design: Descriptive and qualitative exploratory email survey. Setting: Educational. Participants: Emails were sent to 345…

Using a behavior modeling approach, this study examined how students' perceived self-efficacy improved as they developed, delivered, and evaluated professional presentations. Using journal entries and a self-efficacy assessment, students' perceived self-efficacy increased as they learned to provide and receive verbal peer feedback, and to stage…

Complex skill acquisition by performing authentic learning tasks is constrained by limited working memory capacity [Baddeley, A. D. (1992). Working memory. "Science, 255", 556-559]. To prevent cognitive overload, task difficulty and support of each newly selected learning task can be adapted to the learner's competence level and perceived task…

This article describes recent trends that have led to an emphasis on a learner-centered approach to gerontology and geriatrics education especially in distance-based education. A learner-centered approach to education has combined with technological advances to stimulate distance-enhanced education for students in geriatric and gerontology…

Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College's (MGCCC) long-term commitment to providing workforce training in a post-Katrina environment became a catalyst for designing short-term flexible educational opportunities. Providing nationally recognized skills training for the recovery/rebuilding of communities challenged the college to develop innovative,…

Podcasting is used commonly recreationally and is now increasingly used in education. The technology for podcasting is readily available, easy to use and inexpensive, making it an attractive option for providing additional flexible learning resources for students. However, little is known about how podcasts are used by students and the…

Practice analyses are routinely used in support of the development of occupational and professional certification and licensure examinations. These analyses usually survey incumbents to obtain importance ratings of (1) specific tasks and (2) knowledge, skill, and ability (KSA) statements deemed by subject matter experts as essential to safe and…

Innovative solutions in training or retraining of health workers to meet the nationwide primary care deficiency are summarized. Programs described concern nurse clinicians, practitioners, and midwives; physicians' assistants; medical assistants, laboratory technicians, and secretaries; dental assistants, hygienists, and laboratory technicians;…

A Biographical Data Inventory (BDI) and a standard final evaluation form were developed and administered to practicing medical technologists and senior year medical technology students at a State university. A correlation of .68 between scores reinforced findings of other studies, suggesting that BDI's are useful in advisement and selection of…

The multidiscipline credentialed health care worker is an alternative to the current status of health care workers and worksites. Practitioners and educators in health care delivery are unable to reach a consensus as to the number of disciplines. Existing educational programs offer a wide range of programs enabling persons to attain health…

Results are provided from a review of the Health Occupations Education curriculum in New York State to ensure that the skills and attitudes taught in those programs continue to adhere to the emerging demands of the health industry. Introductory materials include summaries of the recommendations and the major background variables influencing the…

Citations to 21 journal articles and 14 documents, reports, and monographs comprise this supplementary annotated bibliography on the subject of Area Health Education Centers (AHECs). The topics covered by these items include the general nature, purposes and functions of AHECs; discussions and descriptions of specific AHEC programs; AHECs and…

An innovative and experimental approach to early-career health specialists, the master's degree program of the School of Allied Health Professions at the State University at Stonybrook offers a promising model for the reconciliation of androgogy and pedagogy. (MW)

Applicants to a physician's assistant program usually must have previous experience in the health field. Forty-nine institutions offering training programs are listed and job prospects, entrance requirements, degree programs offered and long-range prospects are discussed. (MW)