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A pilot study of PAs in leadership: Exploring pathways, barriers, and support systems
Marcia Bouton1, Robert McKenna, Yolanda Freeman-Hildreth
1Marcia Bouton is an assistant professor in the PA program at Midwestern University in Glendale, Ariz. Robert McKenna is director of accreditation and an assistant professor in the School of Physician Assistant Studies at Marshall B. Ketchum University in Fullerton, Calif. Yolanda Freeman-Hildreth is an assistant professor in the PA program at Detroit Mercy in Detroit, Mich., and an adjunct professor in the School of Management at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Theresa Johnson is faculty in the primary care residency program for PAs, director of the Long COVID Board, manager of the Thoracic Tumor Board, and chair of the PA Professional Standards Board at the Joseph Maxwell Cleland Atlanta VA Medical Center in Decatur, Ga. Ryann Piotrowski practices critical care at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H. Laura Chenevert practices neurosurgery in the Department of Neurological Surgery at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, N.Y. The authors have disclosed no potential conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise.
Objectives:
The objectives of this study were to determine pathways, barriers, and support systems experienced by physician associates (PAs) in leadership.
Methods:
Focus group interviews were conducted with 20 PA leaders. Thematic evaluation revealed inductive themes. Moderate interrater agreement was achieved.
Results:
Most participants were female, White, and non-Hispanic, with 13 to 23 years of experience as a PA. Participants obtained leadership positions via training, dedication to service, and networking. Participants were motivated to pursue leadership roles by issues related to compensation, time, and autonomy. Biased perception of PA roles and corporate and legal issues were the most common barriers to achieving leadership positions. Participants recommended that PAs interested in leadership self-promote and that they embrace both altruism and a growth mindset.
Conclusion:
PA leaders achieved leadership positions via dedication, networking, and training. Corporate, legal, and perceptual barriers exist. Employers and PA organizations can support PA leaders with training, compensation, protected time, and autonomy. Celebration of the value of PA leadership is needed.
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