Differential Diagnosis Skills in Physician Assistant Students

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Physician Assistant Studies
• Diagnostic Reasoning

Background:

• Differential diagnosis proficiency (DDP) is crucial for patient outcomes.
• Limited research exists on DDP cultivation in PA programs.
• Deficiencies in DDP can lead to diagnostic delays and suboptimal care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore PA educators' perceptions of DDP deficits in students.
• To identify effective strategies for improving DDP in PA curricula.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional, mixed-methods survey of 68 PA educators.
• Assessed perceived DDP deficits, severity, and recommended strategies.
• Utilized Likert-type and open-response questions.

Main Results:

• 64.7% of educators affirmed a DDP deficit.
• Most perceived the deficit as moderate (68.2%).
• Top recommended strategies: team-based learning, case studies, integrated DDP content (23.3% each).

Conclusions:

• PA educators widely perceive a need to enhance DDP training.
• Interactive and collaborative learning strategies are preferred over passive methods.
• Findings support integrating active learning modalities into PA education.