Yale School of Medicine Reviewing Online Learning Proposal

The Yale School of Medicine is reviewing a proposed online master’s program for physicians associates after the school's first version failed to receive accreditation earlier this month.

Yale currently accepts between 40 and 45 PA students a year on campus. There are about 1,100 applicants to the program.

The School of Medicine had proposed a significant increase in class size using online lectures and discussions. The practical portion of the degree would be handled with an on-campus experience and clinical training at field sites near students.

Credit 2u.com

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2u.com

Yale is one of 12 universities partnering with the education technology company 2U to develop online programs.

Speaking on the Marketplace Morning Report, CEO Chip Paucek said universities are trying to address worker shortages in areas like physicians associates. Online degrees also increase revenue to schools.

"The university needs to figure out how to pay its bills and be sustainable just like any enterprise," Paucek said.

But Andrew Kelley of the American Enterprise Institute said certain degrees are better suited to online learning than others. That could include, he said, "learning statistics or data science online -- certainly learning some of the computer sense; skills and knowledge."

However, programs that require hands-on training, like physician’s associate programs, are trickier, as college and universities have to partner with local organizations so students receive adequate hands-on clinical experience.