
Spring 2023
Distinguished Faculty Lecture
Gamification and Simulation in Physician Assistant Education


presented by
Gina Pontrelli, DHSc, PA-C
Assistant Professor of Physician Assistant Studies
and
Christine Zammit, MS, PA-C
Assistant Professor of Physician Assistant Studies and Academic Coordinator
Department of Physician Assistant Studies
Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies
Wednesday, March 29, 2023
1-2:15 p.m.
Guthart Cultural Center Theater, First Floor, Axinn Library
Physician assistant (PA) students face the daunting task of mastering an enormous amount of information in a short period of time. Furthermore, medicine, more than any other discipline, is a dynamic and continuous learning curve. The only way to stay abreast of this learning curve is to be a hands-on, active, life-long learner. Students demonstrate greater understanding and ownership of concepts when they are actively involved in the learning process. Dr. Pontrelli and Assistant Professor Zammit will discuss their program’s experience with gaming and simulation, and how utilization can engage students and promote student self-reflection and active learning.
Gina Pontrelli, DHSc, PA-C
Gina Pontrelli is a certified physician assistant since 2001 and completed a Doctor of Health Sciences degree in 2019. Her graduate-level training provided a rigorous interdisciplinary education that promotes excellence in teaching, scholarship, leadership, and service. Professor Pontrelli completed her dissertation titled, “Do SPEs Improve Physician Assistant Student History-Taking and Physical Examination Learning Outcomes as Demonstrated by PANCE Task Scores?”. Professor Pontrelli is course coordinator in physician assistant graduate and undergraduate level courses. She continues to be involved in research, publications, and service at the university, state, and professional level.
Christine Zammit, MS, PA-C
Christine Zammit is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physician Assistant Studies. She has extensive experience in PA education, serving Hofstra as a full-time faculty member for the past 10 years and as an adjunct at two other NY PA programs prior to joining the Hofstra faculty in 2013. In her current role as academic coordinator, Professor Zammit is responsible for developing and delivering curriculum to pre-clinical PA students. In addition to her work in academia, Professor Zammit is a clinically practicing PA in pediatric critical care for the past 20 years.
About the Distinguished Faculty Lecture
In 1981, the University inaugurated the annual Hofstra University Distinguished Faculty Lecture Series. Since the fall of 2000, there have been two lectures per year, one in the fall and one in the spring. In recent years, the fall lecture has focused on scholarship, while the spring lecture has focused on innovations in pedagogy. The lecture is typically scheduled mid-semester during Common Hour.
All full-time Hofstra faculty members who have not received the award in the four years prior to their application are eligible to apply. Note that while a lecture is the standard format, fine arts faculty may opt to have a performance or exhibit followed by a discussion. The lecture is the fruit of original thought and research on a topic both representative of the faculty member's specialization and likely to attract and hold the interest of a wide, diverse audience. It is expected that this lecture will not have previously been delivered to the Hofstra community.
Calls for submission are sent out approximately six months prior to each lecture with specific application guidelines. We encourage your participation.
Past Lecturers
Academic Year | Lecturer(s) |
---|---|
1981-1982 | Mary Anne Raywid |
1982-1983 | Frederick M. Keener |
1983-1984 | John DeWitt Gregory |
1984-1985 | Tadeusz K. Krauze |
1985-1986 | William F. Levantrosser |
1986-1987 | Charles F. Levinthal |
1987-1988 | W. Thomas MacCary |
1988-1989 | Dorothy Cohen |
1989-1990 | John E. Ullmann |
1990-1991 | Ignacio L. Götz |
1992-1993 | Eric M. Freedman |
1993-1994 | George D. Jackson |
1994-1995 | Lesley H. Browder, Jr. |
1995-1996 | Gary W. Grimes |
1996-1997 | Laurie Fendrich |
1997-1998 | Meena Bose |
1998-1999 | Stanislao G. Pugliese |
1999-2000 | Laura C. Otis |
Fall 2000 | Charles Merguerian |
Spring 2001 | Jacques D. Berlinerblau |
Fall 2001 | Craig M. Rustici |
Spring 2002 | Ronald H. Silverman |
Fall 2002 | John L. Bryant |
Spring 2003 | Richard J. Puerzer |
Fall 2003 | Alan J. Singer |
Spring 2004 | Joanna Grossman |
Fall 2004 | Benita Sampedro |
Spring 2005 | John Teehan |
Fall 2005 | J. Herbie DiFonzo |
Spring 2006 | Alafair Burke |
Fall 2006 | I. Bennett Capers |
Spring 2007 | Monroe H. Freedman |
Fall 2007 | Julie E. Byrne |
Fall 2008 | David Green |
Spring 2009 | Meena Bose |
Fall 2009 | Barbara Stark |
Spring 2010 | Harold Hastings |
Fall 2010 | Lisa M. Dresner |
Fall 2011 | Elizabeth Glazer |
Spring 2012 | Leslie Feldman |
Fall 2012 | Vimala Pasupathi |
Spring 2013 | Robert Brinkmann |
Fall 2013 | Robert Leonard |
Spring 2014 | Sina Rabbany |
Fall 2014 | J. Herbie DiFonzo |
Spring 2015 | No Lecture Held |
Fall 2015 | Alafair Burke |
Spring 2016 | John L. Bryant, Adam G. Sills, Vern R. Walker |
Fall 2016 | David Henderson |
Spring 2017 | Saryn R. Goldberg, Jennifer A. Gundlach, Amy M. Masnick, Jennifer A. Rich, Jessica R. Santangelo |
Fall 2017 | Eric M. Freedman |
Spring 2018 | Ethna Dempsey Lay |
Fall 2018 | E. Christa Farmer, Elisabeth J. Ploran, Mary Anne Trasciatti |
Spring 2019 | Linda A. Longmire |
Fall 2019 | Shawn Thelen, Boonghee Yoo |
Spring 2020 | Andrea S. Libresco (postponed; to be presented in spring 2021) |
Fall 2021 | Simon R. Doubleday |
Spring 2022 | Edward M. Segal |
Fall 2022 | Javier A. Izquierdo |