Addressing the Opioid Crisis: Medication-Assisted Therapy Waiver Training for Students.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Substance Use Disorder Treatment
• Physician Assistant Studies

Background:

• Physician assistant (PA) graduates require training to manage patients with substance use disorders.
• Medication-assisted therapy (MAT) enables PAs to prescribe buprenorphine, a key treatment.
• The feasibility and effectiveness of online MAT waiver training during PA school are not well-established.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the impact of online MAT waiver training on PA student knowledge and attitudes.
• To assess the perceived value and effectiveness of the training among PA students.

Main Methods:

• A 15-question survey was administered to PA students post-training during clinical rotations.
• Students self-reported pre/post changes in awareness, knowledge, interest, comfort, and confidence using Likert scales.
• Data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed rank test, descriptive statistics, and thematic analysis of narrative responses.

Main Results:

• Significant pre-to-post score improvements were observed in knowledge, comfort, awareness, and confidence (p < .05).
• Students reported satisfaction with training quality (mean 3.82) and recommended it (3.98).
• A majority preferred more time (82%) and earlier integration (46%), with some ambivalence regarding practice relevance.

Conclusions:

• Online MAT waiver training is a feasible and effective method for educating PA students.
• Students expressed a need for better preparation and flexible training platforms.
• Optimizing curriculum integration and faculty support is crucial for enhancing perceived relevance.