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Impact of Variations in PACKRAT Administration: A Retrospective Review
Denise Rizzolo1, Kim Cavanagh, Olivia Ziegler
1Denise Rizzolo, PhD, PA-C, is an assessment specialist for the Physician Assistant Education Association, Washington, DC, and also an assistant clinical professor in the Department of Physician Assistant Studies at Pace University, New York, New York. Kim Cavanagh, DHSc, PA-C, is an associate professor and chair of the Physician Assistant Department at Gannon University, Erie, Pennsylvania, and also serves as PAEA's assessment editor in chief. Olivia Ziegler, MS, PA, is the chief assessment officer for the Physician Assistant Education Association, Washington, DC. Malvin Janal, PhD, is a senior research scientist and an adjunct professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Health Promotion at the NYU College of Dentistry, New York, New York.
Abstract:
The Physician Assistant Clinical Knowledge Rating and Assessment Tool (PACKRAT) was developed to be an objective, comprehensive self-assessment tool for students. When the PACKRAT exam was initially developed, its goal was to help students determine what level of knowledge they currently possessed and what they had to learn prior to graduation. The purpose of this study was to review PACKRAT test-taker scores over the past 5 years and analyze the variations in test administration. Deidentified PACKRAT scores, exam length in minutes, and proctored or unproctored status, along with time extensions were analyzed from 2013 to 2018. Descriptive statistics and frequency counts were used to summarize the data. An independent samples t-test was used to determine if there was a difference in test-taker scores between proctored and unproctored exams. The 83,271 student test-taker exam data were analyzed, and time ranged from 180 to 360 minutes with a mean of 226.5 minutes. When comparing test-taker scores between proctored and unproctored exams, the mean scores were 145.02 and 144.77, respectively, with no significant difference. The Physician Assistant Clinical Knowledge Rating and Assessment Tool can be confidently used and compared to national scores whether a program administers the exam proctored or without a proctor. The average time taken for exam completion is close to the recommended 225 minutes that is suggested by Physician Assistant Education Association PACKRAT exam developers.
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