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1
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
The physician assistant (PA) profession was first recognized in the mid-
1960s. Over the past forty years the evolution of the PA profession has resulted in
an increase in the utilization of physician assistants in health care. This increase in
demand for more physician assistants in health care has propelled the rapid increase
of physician assistant programs throughout the nation. Currently, there are 139
physician assistant training programs in the United States (http://www.arc-pa.org).
The demand for admission to these programs is extremely high, but the seating is
also limited. Therefore it is crucial that the selection process utilized by PA programs
be efficient in identifying applicants who have the academic and personal qualities
that are a requisite to success in these programs. This study evaluated the admission
selection process of a community college based physician assistant program. The
admission variables used in the selection process were traditional variables
commonly used in other allied health professional programs i.e. science grade point
average, cumulative grade point average, personal statement, letters of reference and
work experience. Data gathered from these measurements served as indicators to
predict the success or failure of students in completing the program and their
performance on the National Certification Examination (NCE).
The national board pass rate for the program had consistently dropped 5%,
3%, 9% and 3% from 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006, respectively. A simultaneous
increase in attrition was also noted. From 2001 to 2006, the attrition rate gradually
Object Description
| Title | A predictive valdity study: correlation of admission variables with program completion and student performance on the National Certification Examination in a physician assistant program |
| Author | Middleton, Delores E. |
| Author email | delores.middleton@rcc.edu; lolokinard@yahoo.com |
| Degree | Doctor of Education |
| Document type | Dissertation |
| Degree program | Education |
| School | Rossier School of Education |
| Date defended/completed | 2008-08-29 |
| Date submitted | 2008 |
| Restricted until | Unrestricted |
| Date published | 2008-10-18 |
| Advisor (committee chair) | Jimenez y West, Ilda |
| Advisor (committee member) |
Cole, Darnell Hocevar, Dennis J. |
| Abstract | The purpose of this investigation was to examine the reliability and predictive validity of the of admission data in predicting student success in completing a community college-based physician assistant program and their performance on the National Certification Examination (NCE). The files of 170 graduates were reviewed and the following data was complied: 1) science grade point average (GPAsci), 2) cumulative grade point average (GPAcum), 3) reference letter ratings, 4) personal statement ratings, and 5) work experience -- each identified as a predictor measure in this study. The criterion measures identified in the study were 1) program completion, 2) performance on the NCE, and 3) skills. Findings demonstrated variations in the degree of relationship among predictor measures and criterion measures. The GPAsci demonstrated the greatest degree of correlation with student outcome in comparison with other predictor measures, which is consistent with previous research. Overall, the research demonstrated that there was practical significance or potentially significance correlations between the majority of the predictor measures. |
| Keyword | admission variable; criterion measures; national certification examination; criterion related evidence; reliability and predictive validy; prior academic achievement; letters of reference; personal statement; work experience |
| Coverage date | 1999/2005 |
| Language | English |
| Part of collection | University of Southern California dissertations and theses |
| Publisher (of the original version) | University of Southern California |
| Place of publication (of the original version) | Los Angeles, California |
| Publisher (of the digital version) | University of Southern California. Libraries |
| Provenance | Electronically uploaded by the author |
| Type | texts |
| Legacy record ID | usctheses-m1678 |
| Contributing entity | University of Southern California |
| Rights | Middleton, Delores E. |
| Repository name | Libraries, University of Southern California |
| Repository address | Los Angeles, California |
| Repository email | cisadmin@lib.usc.edu |
| Filename | etd-Middleton-2420 |
| Archival file | uscthesesreloadpub_Volume32/etd-Middleton-2420.pdf |
Description
| Title | Page 9 |
| Contributing entity | University of Southern California |
| Repository email | cisadmin@lib.usc.edu |
| Full text | 1 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION The physician assistant (PA) profession was first recognized in the mid- 1960s. Over the past forty years the evolution of the PA profession has resulted in an increase in the utilization of physician assistants in health care. This increase in demand for more physician assistants in health care has propelled the rapid increase of physician assistant programs throughout the nation. Currently, there are 139 physician assistant training programs in the United States (http://www.arc-pa.org). The demand for admission to these programs is extremely high, but the seating is also limited. Therefore it is crucial that the selection process utilized by PA programs be efficient in identifying applicants who have the academic and personal qualities that are a requisite to success in these programs. This study evaluated the admission selection process of a community college based physician assistant program. The admission variables used in the selection process were traditional variables commonly used in other allied health professional programs i.e. science grade point average, cumulative grade point average, personal statement, letters of reference and work experience. Data gathered from these measurements served as indicators to predict the success or failure of students in completing the program and their performance on the National Certification Examination (NCE). The national board pass rate for the program had consistently dropped 5%, 3%, 9% and 3% from 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006, respectively. A simultaneous increase in attrition was also noted. From 2001 to 2006, the attrition rate gradually |
