College News
Q: Why did you want to lead the UF School of
PA Studies? What’s your vision for the program?
A: I wanted to give back to the profession
through a significant leadership role. Since
UF was where I began my academic journey,
it seemed fitting to return to Gainesville in
this capacity.
34 | F LO R I DA P HYS I C IAN
My vision is to build on the success of the
School of PA Studies and ensure students
are prepared for team-based care through
interprofessional education, with an emphasis
on professionalism and communication. UF
has also been stellar in its development and
advancement of simulation-based health care
technologies. We plan to integrate experiential
learning into the first year of training, so as
soon as students learn about a topic in the
classroom, they’ll put that material to practice
through simulation-based learning.
Q: How has the profession evolved since its
inception in 1967?
A: There are now 123,000 PAs practicing in
the U.S. More states have adopted broader
legislation for practicing PAs, and health care
insurance reimbursement has become more
robust for services provided by PAs. Now that
more physicians are employed by health care
organizations (versus being self-employed), it’s
more common for PAs to work for big health
care teams without supervision by a distinct
physician.
Q: How does health care simulation impact
education and patient care?
A: Using simulation, learners practice
dynamic decision-making, communication
and teamwork behaviors, such as managing
high workloads and coordinating under stress.
When students practice in a realistic setting,
they can explore and make mistakes in a safe
environment.
Simulation also provides insight into the
effectiveness of processes and systems critical to
patient safety and care. Improving a hospital’s
care sequence, for instance, requires an accurate
model of the care process simulated against
numerous “what if ” conditions. The insights
learned help hospitals properly manage normal
and abnormal conditions — which results in
better care for patients.
Q: What’s the best part about being back
in Gainesville?
A: In addition to being with good friends and
colleagues, enjoying the weather and going
on outdoor adventures, I’m looking forward
to exploring the new artwork and exhibits
available in Gainesville, especially the 352walls.
Murals bring art into the public sphere, and
each of the walls and artists has a message. I
look forward to learning about the messages
being imparted by Gainesville residents
through art.
+
NINA MULTAK, PHD, MPAS, PAC
After spending the early days of her academic career at UF, Nina Multak, PhD,
MPAS, PA-C, returned in January 2018 as associate dean and the Randolph B.
Mahoney director of the School of Physician Assistant Studies. As she celebrates the
first anniversary of her appointment, Multak shares her goals for UF’s PA program.
BY STYLIANA RESVANIS
DA H Y S I A N
PHOTO BY MINDY C. MILLER