Career trends and attrition among PAs

A cohort of 724 physician assistants (PAs) was studied between 1974 and 1978. Cohort attrition (13% overall) was greater for younger PAs and those who had graduated in the top quarter of their high school class. A trend toward employment in institutional settings and toward employment in urban areas was observed. In a separate analysis of survey data from a national sample of 4,500 PAs, an attrition rate of 13% was observed. Men, former military medical corpsmen, and graduates of military PA programs exhibited the lowest attrition. The significance of these findings, especially for future manpower predictions, is discussed.