Understanding Early Admission Processes: Implications for Physician Assistant Workforce Diversity and Healthcare Equity

Abstract

Purpose: Increasing diversity in the physician assistant (PA) workforce has been identified as a key priority by national PA organizations and PA programs alike. This study aimed to understand why certain applicants did not progress in PA program admissions by exploring common reasons for nonprogression and identifying any demographic trends.Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of applicants over the last 5 consecutive admission cycles at the University of California Davis Physician Assistant program. Results:The most common reasons for denial, starting with the most prevalent, were low application score, bachelor's GPA <3.0, missing prerequisite(s), late application, and science GPA <2.7. Several associations between demographic groups and reasons for nonprogression were identified. Conclusions:The findings from a multicohort study might help programs consider these issues in their own programs and identify interventions to support underrepresented applicants.

Physician Assistants/Associates With Doctoral Degrees: Where Are They Now?

“…2,7 As the United States becomes an increasingly multicultural and diverse society, the PA workforce must reflect that diversity to best serve patients, particularly given that increased diversity in healthcare professionals is associated with positive healthcare outcomes. [8][9][10][11] Additional demographic considerations include the sex and gender gaps in the profession. The profession is primarily female 2 ; however, men are more likely to experience professional advancement, have an increased academic rank, and hold various leadership positions in the medical professions.…”

Predictors of applicant pool racial and ethnic diversity among physician assistant education programs: a national cross-sectional cohort study

“…Among the strategies used, holistic admissions and universal faculty commitment to support diversity are major drivers for their success. Other research among PA students has shown that applicants who are URiM, older, men, and those with lower total or science GPAs or missing prerequisites are less likely to matriculate when compared to all other potential students, and this disparity is exacerbated when the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) is a required application component [8,9]. Recent research by Honda et al (2021) has identified the importance of the number of programs to which a student applies on their likelihood of matriculation.…”