Physician Assistant Education Community Assumptions About an Entry-level Doctoral Degree.
Darwin Brown, Brenda Quincy, Jennifer Snyder
Author Information
Darwin Brown: Darwin Brown, MPH, PA-C, is an assistant professor in the Physician Assistant Program, School of Medicine, at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska.
Brenda Quincy: Darwin Brown, MPH, PA-C, is an assistant professor in the Physician Assistant Program, School of Medicine, at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska.
Jennifer Snyder: Darwin Brown, MPH, PA-C, is an assistant professor in the Physician Assistant Program, School of Medicine, at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska.
PURPOSE: This study described the assumptions that PA educators hold regarding the option and/or transition to a doctoral entry-level degree for PA graduates. METHODS: A cross-sectional electronic survey of all members of accredited PA programs was administered. The survey comprised 32 Likert-type statements that measured respondents' level of agreement ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree and general demographic information. Mean scores are reported for each Likert statement and then compared with analysis of variance and post hoc testing for subgroups of baseline variables. RESULTS: Responses indicate wide-ranging opinions regarding the adoption of an entry-level doctoral degree for PAs. However, the preponderance of responses appeared more neutral or in opposition to an entry-level doctoral degree. The statement with the strongest level of agreement was that "consideration of the entry-level doctoral degree was really about competing with advanced practice nurses." Educators who were PAs and those who were physicians differed significantly in their responses for 17 of 32 statements. CONCLUSION: Most respondents believed that the master's degree is "enough for clinical practice." If there is not a deliberate discussion informing the transition to a doctoral entry-level degree, then the change is likely to occur at the individual program level as it did with the transition from a certificate to a bachelor's degree and then to a master's degree. If the PA profession moves to the acceptance of an entry-level doctoral degree, the PA professional organizations should continue to be involved in developing a measured plan forward.
References
Lane S. Members adopt new graduate competencies, elect new board members at forum. Physician Assistant Education Association. 2019. https://paeaonline.org/members-adopt-new-graduate-competencies-elect-new-board-members-at-forum/ . Accessed August 14, 2020.
Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). Accreditation Standards for Physician Assistant Education. 3rd ed. Johns Creek, GA: ARC-PA; 2006.
Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). Accreditation Standards for Physician Assistant Education. 4th ed. Johns Creek, GA: ARC-PA; 2018. http://www.arc-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Standards-4th-Ed-March-2018.pdf . Accessed August 14, 2020.
Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). Accreditation Standards for Physician Assistant Education. 5th ed. Johns Creek, GA: ARC-PA; 2019. http://www.arc-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Standards-5th-Ed-March-2021.pdf . Accessed August 14, 2020.
Zusman A. Changing degrees: creation and growth of new kinds of professional doctorates. J Higher Ed . 2017;88(1):33-61.
Ohlemeier LS, Muma RD. Perceptions of US physician assistants regarding the entry-level doctoral degree in PA education. J Physician Assist Educ. 2008;19(2):10-17.
Menezes P, Senkomago V, Coniglio D. Physician assistant students' attitudes towards a clinical doctoral degree. J Physician Assist Educ. 2015;26(1):3-9.
Jones PE, Cawley JF. Doctoral degrees for PAs: questions and issues. J Physician Assist Educ. 2005;16(1):8-9.
Gruppo L Jr. Clinical doctoral degrees—are we ready? J Physician Assist Educ. 2005;16(1):5-7.
Dehn R, Jones PE. Physician assistant education: will we meet the need? J Physician Assist Educ. 2005;16(1):33-36.
Bouchard G. Doctoral education: degrees of separation. J Physician Assist Educ. 2009;20(2):29-32.
Miller A, Coplan B. Physician assistant doctorate: a ticket to autonomy. J Physician Assist Educ. 2017;28:S33-S37.
Miller A, Allison L, Asprey D, et al. Association of Physician Assistant Programs Degree Task Force final paper, September 28, 2000. J Physician Assist Educ. 2000;11(3):169-177.
Physician Assistant Education Association. PA Clinical Doctorate Summit: final report and summary. J Physician Assist Educ. 2009;20(2):22-28.
Physician Assistant Education Association. By the Numbers: Faculty Report 4: Data from the 2019 Faculty & Directors Survey. Washington, DC: PAEA; 2020:Table 1. doi: 10.17538/FR4.2020.
