Faculty Spotlight: Rayne Melissa Loder

May 2, 2024

"I have a very student-centric philosophy of teaching, and the Tufts PA Program in general does an amazing job of respecting its students as adult learners and considering student voices in its programming."

Rayne Melissa Loder, PA-C, a clinical associate professor at Tufts PA Program, shares her background and experience. With a unique past as a park ranger, Loder brings an innovative teaching style to the classroom, integrating over 11 years of diverse clinical experience. She emphasizes the human aspects of medical practice, offering valuable insights to students. Discover Loder's distinctive approach to PA education.

What courses do you teach?

"In the first year of the program, I teach internal medicine topics: hematology, cardiology, and pulmonology. I also help teach examination skills in the physical diagnosis courses. This fall, I will be teaching evidence-based medicine and overseeing a new clinical reasoning course as well. I oversee the interprofessional education curriculum throughout both years of the program."

What inspired you to pursue a career in physician assistant education, and what led you to join the faculty at Tufts University?

"I’ve always had an interest in teaching. Before becoming a PA, I worked as a park ranger and was trained to design and deliver educational programming to park visitors. I still use many of the techniques I learned during that time to communicate complex ideas in ways that are easily understandable to a diverse audience (including props and songs!).

I have a very student-centric philosophy of teaching, and the Tufts PA Program in general does an amazing job of respecting its students as adult learners and considering student voices in its programming. I actually met with a panel of students during my interview process! I was so impressed that the selection committee valued the student perspective when choosing a new faculty member; it was a major reason I decided to come here."

Can you share a memorable teaching moment or experience that exemplifies the unique approach to PA education at Tufts?

"The students know that I love a good prop to illustrate an anatomic or physiologic phenomenon. When teaching pulmonology, I use a balloon to demonstrate that normal lungs, like a balloon, are compliant and elastic – they can stretch to accommodate air, but then bounce back to their original shape and push out the air when released. I then pull out a paper bag to show that lungs retain compliance but lose elasticity in obstructive lung diseases – you can blow up a paper bag like a balloon, but the air won’t be pushed out and the bag remains full of air when you let go. I then pull out a hot water bottle to show that lungs lose compliance but retain elasticity in restrictive lung disease – you can’t get much air in because the walls are thick and rubbery, but there’s no problem getting that little bit of air out. I think it’s a fun and memorable way to conceptualize something simply that is actually quite complex. I think this exemplifies my teaching approach!"

How do you incorporate your real-world clinical experience into your teaching methods, and how does this benefit students in the program?

"I have been a PA for 11 years and have practiced family, emergency, and perioperative medicine in three different states and in a variety of practice environments, from a remote tribal clinic to an academic medical center. My diverse clinical experiences bring authenticity to my teaching and I am able to communicate how factors such as location, available resources, and systems-level limitations can impact decisions that both providers and patients make regarding healthcare. I try to include pearls regarding the human aspects of medical practice frequently within my lectures. I hope that I emphasize for the students that becoming a great provider requires more than just acquiring and applying the knowledge and skills that we teach during the pre-clinical phase of the program; those things are important, sure, but great providers also have compassion and empathy and center patients within their model of healthcare as much as possible."

Tufts PA program emphasizes interprofessional collaboration. Can you speak to the importance of this approach in preparing future PAs for the complexities of modern health care?

"Yes! The PA profession, and the healthcare system in general, is inherently collaborative. To actualize the full power of an interdisciplinary healthcare workforce, though, one must first understand what each allied health discipline can contribute and then understand how best to work together as a team to achieve common goals for our patients. Our interprofessional education curriculum at the Tufts PA program allows students to interact with and learn about a variety of health professions disciplines and, through case-based sessions, practice communicating and working together as an interdisciplinary team."

What advice would you give to prospective students considering the Tufts PA program?

"First, make sure that PA is the right path for you and clearly tell us why you are choosing this profession over others in your application. Show that you have researched our program and tell us why you think this program could be a good fit for you. If you come here, you will learn medicine in a challenging but supportive and respectful environment!"

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