Physician Assistant Education: Will We Meet the Need?

Abstract

Recent findings projecting an increased demand for PAs in the US workforce, coupled with a looming shortage of adequately prepared PA faculty and an already high faculty turnover rate, justify a discussion on how to approach these issues from the perspective of faculty preparation and development. Taking into consideration the current and projected growth rate of PA training programs, the increasing demand for PA faculty will result in an average of approximately one doctorally prepared PA faculty member per US program, at a time when most programs have either converted to or commenced with a master's degree curriculum. Until we have a better understanding of clinical PA roles and relationships, our curricular approach to educating PAs will remain based on anecdotal and empirical experiences derived from the medical school model. Doctoral programs in PA education would help define, clarify, and advance the PA profession by codifying the body of attributes, roles, and knowledge unique to the profession.