Does Social Media Have a Role in the Decision to Matriculate Into a Physician Assistant Program?

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Physician Assistant Studies
• Digital Health Communication

Background:

• Social media is increasingly utilized by academic institutions.
• Understanding its influence on prospective students is crucial for program recruitment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of physician assistant (PA) program social media content on student matriculation decisions.
• To identify key factors influencing PA program enrollment.

Main Methods:

• An anonymous 16-question online survey was distributed to PA students and recent graduates across the United States.
• Data collected included demographics, social media usage, and factors influencing program choice.

Main Results:

• Social media played a minor role in enrollment decisions for 374 surveyed PA students.
• Accreditation, location, cost of living, and PANCE pass rates were primary decision factors.
• While most students use social media frequently, 78% found program presence unimportant for their choice.

Conclusions:

• Physician assistant program social media content generally has limited influence on student matriculation.
• Targeted content, such as "A Day in the Life of a PA Student" videos, may hold more sway.
• Programs should focus on core decision-making factors while strategically using social media for engagement.