Student attrition. A challenge for allied health education programs

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Medical Workforce Development
• Educational Attrition Studies

Background:

• The Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation (CAHEA) data, collected by the American Medical Association (AMA), is the primary national source for allied health education attrition and retention statistics.
• Understanding attrition patterns is crucial for effective education and health workforce planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze national allied health education attrition data for the 1989-1990 academic year.
• To identify demographic and institutional factors associated with student attrition in allied health programs.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of nationally representative attrition data from the Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation (CAHEA).
• Examination of attrition rates based on gender, race/ethnicity, allied health occupation, and type of sponsoring institution.

Main Results:

• Male students exhibited significantly higher attrition rates compared to female students.
• Black students (not of Hispanic origin) had a significantly higher attrition rate (25.4%), while Asian or Pacific Islander students had a significantly lower rate (13%).
• Attrition rates varied widely across 26 allied health occupations and sponsoring institutions, with vocational/technical schools (24.3%) and for-profit institutions (25.1%) reporting higher rates.

Conclusions:

• Significant disparities in attrition exist among different demographic groups and educational settings within allied health.
• Targeted interventions may be necessary to address higher attrition rates among specific student populations and in certain types of institutions to improve retention in allied health fields.