Reflections on a Physician Assistant Entrance Exam: Does the Profession Need One?

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Medical Admissions
• Standardized Testing

Background:

• Physician Assistant (PA) programs traditionally lack a profession-specific entrance exam.
• A commercial publisher recently developed the Physician Assistant College Admissions Test (PA-CAT).
• The PA-CAT underwent field testing in 2018 and was first administered in 2020.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the implications of a consensus-derived, PA-specific entrance exam.
• To stimulate informed discussion on the efficacy and challenges of a PA entrance exam.
• To explore how such an exam aligns with evolving admissions practices.

Main Methods:

• Literature review and expert discussion on the concept of a PA-specific entrance exam.
• Analysis of potential benefits (efficiency, standardization) and drawbacks (cost, diversity, holistic review).
• Consideration of the challenges in developing a psychometrically sound and legally defensible exam.

Main Results:

• A PA entrance exam could improve admissions efficiency but may increase costs and affect applicant diversity.
• A significant barrier is the lack of professional consensus on required knowledge, skills, and attributes for PA students.
• Developing a consensus-based exam is complex, expensive, and time-consuming.

Conclusions:

• The efficacy of a PA entrance exam requires careful consideration of its potential benefits against significant challenges.
• Achieving consensus on essential competencies is critical for developing a valid and reliable PA admissions test.
• The evolving landscape of health professions admissions, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, makes this discussion particularly timely.