Janelle Bludorn, MS, PA-C, joined the faculty of the Duke Physician Assistant Program on September 7, 2021. She earned her Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2010.
Why did you choose to join the faculty in the Department of Family Medicine & Community Health?
The Duke PA Program obviously holds an important place in the history of both physician assistant education and the profession as a whole, so there is something special about having the opportunity to be where it all started. However, I firmly believe that with robust departmental support, the Duke PA Program will continue to be a key leader in the future of PA education and our profession, propelling forward to set the standard of excellence in areas like: diversity, equity, and inclusion; innovative medical education; interprofessional education and care; and advocacy. It’s this foothold in the future and track record for training caring and competent clinicians that I’m most excited to contribute.
Where were you working previous to Duke? What was your role there?
Prior to joining the faculty at the Duke PA Program, I spent five years as a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine's Physician Assistant Program. In this role, I served as course director for the Patient Assessment and Evidence Based Medicine courses and several Clinical Medicine units. I also provided instruction in various other PA courses, mentored students, designed & implemented a point of care ultrasound curriculum, and developed & directed an undergraduate course for students interested in pursuing health professions. At UNC, I also had a clinical appointment with the UNC Department of Emergency Medicine, providing coverage at both the UNC Medical Center in Chapel Hill and Hillsborough Hospital. Prior to my career in academia, I practiced clinically as an emergency medicine PA at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, MA and Cottage Health System in Santa Barbara, CA.
What is your approach to mentorship/teaching?
Whether teaching in the clinical setting or classroom, I aim to educate in the most efficient, effective, and engaging manner possible. To achieve this, I tend to employ principles of andragogy: empowering learners with the knowledge of why they need to learn something, making lessons as experiential as possible with a problem-solving approach, and ensuring that topics covered have some immediate value to the learner. In recent years, I’ve also set a goal to be intentional regarding inclusivity in the classroom by examining instructional methods, asking myself “who is left out with this approach?” and fixing it by adding things like structure, anonymous participation, low stakes/no stakes assessments, and frequent feedback. Mentorship of students and new graduates is one of my favorite parts of being a faculty member. As a mentor, I enjoy using a coaching-based approach, guiding mentees through introspection and individualized goal setting.
What will you be teaching/what types of learners will you be working with?
I'll be involved with a variety of courses in the Physician Assistant Program, including: Clinical Medicine, Evidence Based Practice, Patient Assessment and Counseling, and Practice and the Health System. I am also very excited to be working on development of point-of-care ultrasound curriculum.
What is your clinical focus and what types of patients will you be taking care of at Duke?
My clinical focus is in emergency medicine, as I have been an emergency medicine physician assistant since graduating PA school in 2010. I've found fulfillment in leadership roles with the Society of Emergency Medicine PAs, helping to shape the landscape of PA practice in emergency medicine at a national level.
What are your research interests?
My research interests are mostly surrounding the science of teaching and learning in medical education, point-of-care ultrasound education and practice integration, and the experience of women working healthcare and medicine.