Valuation of an Allied Health Graduate Medical Education Residency Program

Abstract

Allied Health Graduate Medical Education (GME) residency programs struggle to meet the supply of graduates due to pressures to control costs, competitive learning environments, and faculty/staffing shortages at residency sites. Using a large system of teaching hospitals, we utilize a mixed methods approach to assess the economic value of an Emergency Medicine Physician Assistant (EMPA) residency program, in terms of extrinsic and intrinsic benefits. An optimal student-to-staff ratio is also illuminated. The cost-construction model indicated an optimal faculty-resident ratio of 4:5. The extrinsic benefit of the EMPA residency program was $3,157,440, while the intrinsic benefit was $835,572. Our results suggest that the Emergency Medicine Physician Assistant residency program demonstrates economic value. Teaching hospitals should consider adoption of Allied Health Graduate Medical Education programs and align student-to-staff ratios with Graduate Medical Educational benchmarks for optimal performance.