Biomaterial Database

Factors influencing physician assistant program choice among pre-physician assistant students. 2014

Greg L Klingler, and Mary Beth Kaylor, and Mark Johannsson, and Brian Schaat

1Brigham Young University-Idaho; 2,3A.T. Still University; 4Brigham Young University-Idaho.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to determine the factors that are most important to the pre-physician assistant (PA) student when choosing among two or more PA programs. METHODS Seventy-four pre-PA students completed a survey that assessed the importance of 33 decision factors pertaining to program selection. RESULTS The five decision factors with the highest importance score were quality of faculty and staff, quality and availability of clinical rotations, tuition, morale of faculty and staff, and a positive interview experience. Additionally, this study showed that specific decision factors are more important to specific groups of pre-PA students, based on gender, marital status, and age. CONCLUSIONS Knowing what decision factors are important to pre-PA students may empower PA programs to modify program characteristics to retain more accepted students.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D010823	Physician Assistants	Health professionals who practice medicine as members of a team with their supervising physicians. They deliver a broad range of medical and surgical services to diverse populations in rural and urban settings. Duties may include physical exams, diagnosis and treatment of disease, interpretation of tests, assist in surgery, and prescribe medications. (from http://www.aapa.orglabout-pas accessed 2114/2011)	Doctor's Assistant,Feldsher,Feldshers,Physician Assistant,Physicians' Assistants,Physicians' Extender,Physicians' Extenders,Doctor's Assistants,Assistant, Doctor's,Assistant, Physicians',Assistants, Doctor's,Assistants, Physician,Assistants, Physicians',Doctor Assistant,Doctor Assistants,Doctors Assistant,Extender, Physicians',Extenders, Physicians',Physician Extender,Physician Extenders,Physician's Assistants,Physician's Extender,Physician's Extenders,Physicians Assistants,Physicians Extender,Physicians' Assistant
D011795	Surveys and Questionnaires	Collections of data obtained from voluntary subjects. The information usually takes the form of answers to questions, or suggestions.	Community Survey,Nonrespondent,Questionnaire,Questionnaires,Respondent,Survey,Survey Method,Survey Methods,Surveys,Baseline Survey,Community Surveys,Methodology, Survey,Nonrespondents,Questionnaire Design,Randomized Response Technique,Repeated Rounds of Survey,Respondents,Survey Methodology,Baseline Surveys,Design, Questionnaire,Designs, Questionnaire,Methods, Survey,Questionnaire Designs,Questionnaires and Surveys,Randomized Response Techniques,Response Technique, Randomized,Response Techniques, Randomized,Survey, Baseline,Survey, Community,Surveys, Baseline,Surveys, Community,Techniques, Randomized Response
D002755	Choice Behavior	The act of making a selection among two or more alternatives, usually after a period of deliberation.	Approach Behavior,Approach Behaviors,Behavior, Approach,Behavior, Choice,Behaviors, Approach,Behaviors, Choice,Choice Behaviors
D003479	Curriculum	A course of study offered by an educational institution.	Curricula,Short-Term Courses,Course, Short-Term,Courses, Short-Term,Short Term Courses,Short-Term Course
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293	Adolescent	A person 13 to 18 years of age.	Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults
D013336	Students, Health Occupations	Individuals enrolled in a school or formal educational program in the health occupations.	Health Occupations Students,Health Occupations Student,Occupations Student, Health,Occupations Students, Health,Student, Health Occupations