Community
PALLA was established to create an inclusive Physician Assistant community to foster educational excellence in the state of Maryland. In Baltimore, Maryland, 63% of the population is Black, 19% of the population live in poverty, and 7% of the population is uninsured. To our Black community members, we recognize your pain and feelings of fatigue over the injustices you face every day. The color of your skin should not impact how you are treated. We stand in solidarity with other organizations and individuals who challenge systemic oppression and strive for change.
As PAs, we must acknowledge the privilege that we have from our education and medical knowledge while using our privilege to advocate for those who are marginalized. Advocating for justice requires us to acknowledge the impact of racism on our patients’ health and the poor health outcomes many face. Racism is a public health crisis.
As part of our continued commitment to communities of color:
- We have simulation educators to help build social justice into simulation experiences for your students
- We have instructional designers and subject matter experts to help incorporate systematic racism, cultural competence and social determinants of health into your curriculum
- We have experts in a variety of student-centered instructional strategies, including narrative medicine, and team-based learning, to help facilitate learning
- We have research scholars to aid in curating appropriate research to assist in developing curriculum
We are here for you as we try to navigate through this very challenging period in our history. We are committed to being a part of the solution.
Please visit the resource below for additional information:
- The University of Maryland Baltimore offers an Intercultural Leadership Certificate program
- American Public Health Association provides a series of webinars addressing racism as a public health crisis
- Department of Health and Human Services provides CME training: Medical Provider training in Cultural Competence
- Physician Assistant Education Association produced a resource page addressing Social Determinants of Health
Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resources
The health of Maryland residents is a top priority of PALLA. Here is a list of resources that will help PA programs protect their students, patients, faculty, and staff while providing education and services.- MD Health Department
- UMaryland Urgent Care
- FAQ’s from CDC
- Social Distancing UMB Article
- World Health article
- Clinical, Field Placement, and Internship Guidelines for Students
- Utilizing Blackboard Collaborate as a medium for delivering online lectures, discussions
- PAEA resources webpage on the COVID-19 along with teaching tools and tutorials through the Digital Learning Hub.
- Mededportal, an open-access journal with teaching and assessment resources
- Onlinemeded, to apply clinical reasoning with real patients, real questions, and real experience.
PALLA CARES
In 2019, the PALLA Executive Team and fellows assembled resource bags for individuals experiencing homelessness. PALLA looks forward to expanding our community impact with each cohort of fellows.
