Investigating Preadmission Metrics and Early Academic Performance in Master of Physician Assistant Studies Students

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: A growing number of student applications to graduate physician assistant (PA) programs has highlighted the need for effective selection of candidates. Much of the work in this area has focused on connecting student course grades and performance in the national board certification Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE) examination; however, this is of limited value in identifying those students who struggle academically before certification. METHODS: Four cohorts of PA students (n = 176) were retrospectively analyzed to determine if differences exist in preadmission metrics and early PA course scores between those students who required academic remediation (REM, n = 57) during PA school vs. those who did not (non-remediators [NREM], n = 119). RESULTS: Students requiring remediation had significantly reduced undergraduate science (REM: 3.67 ± 0.2 vs. NREM: 3.79 ± 0.2, P ≤ .001) and organic chemistry grade point averages (REM: 3.35 ± 0.6 vs. NREM: 3.6 ± 0.5, P = .004), as well as significantly poorer scores in multiple early courses including Gross Anatomy (REM: 85.6% ± 5.4% vs. NREM: 89.9% ± 4.7%, P ≤ .0001), Pathophysiology (REM: 86.6% ± 5.2% vs. NREM: 90.9% ± 4.4%, P ≤ .0001), and Clinical Medicine (REM: 84.9% ± 4% vs. NREM: 90.2% ± 3.6%, P ≤ .0001) during their PA training. REM also had significantly reduced Physician Assistant Clinical Knowledge Rating and Assessment Tool I, Physician Assistant Clinical Knowledge Rating and Assessment Tool II, and PANCE scores compared with NREM (P ≤ .0001). DISCUSSION: Specific preadmission metrics and early academic performance indicators may identify students who require learning interventions during their graduate coursework.