Foundational Skill-Building in a Novel Well-being Curriculum

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Physician Assistant Studies
• Student Well-being

Background:

• Physician assistant (PA) training is associated with significant mental health challenges and decreased well-being.
• Accreditation standards mandate the inclusion of wellness curricula in PA programs.
• A decline in well-being is commonly observed in first-year PA students.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a mandatory, multifaceted virtual wellness curriculum.
• To determine if the curriculum can mitigate the decline in well-being among first-year PA students.

Main Methods:

• A 16-week asynchronous virtual wellness course was delivered to 259 first-year PA students across 5 programs.
• The curriculum integrated evidence-based content on vulnerability, stigma, mindfulness, decentering, and reflective writing.
• Data were analyzed using ordinary least squares (OLS) regression, controlling for school-specific fixed effects.

Main Results:

• A total of 157 students (60.6%) completed both pre- and post-surveys.
• The majority of students (73.6%) reported a positive impact of the course on their PA training.
• Baseline well-being scores predicted endpoint scores across multiple validated instruments; demographic factors (race, age, gender) also showed predictive significance for specific outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Dedicated wellness curricula focusing on foundational skills can successfully improve well-being in PA students with low baseline levels.
• Further research is required to fully understand the program's impact and optimize its delivery for wider accessibility.
• The findings support the integration of such programs nationwide to enhance PA learner well-being.