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Concerns About Bias in the Physician Associate Admissions Process: A Prephysician Associate Perspective
Darren T Ngo1,2,3, Mitchell J Barnett1,2,3, Eric J Ip1,2,3
1Darren T. Ngo, MS, MAT, PA-C, ATC, is a PA student graduate, Stanford School of Medicine-E.D. Stone Edwards Building, Stanford, California.
Most pre-physician associate (PA) students worry about PA admissions bias, especially sexual or gender minority (SGM) and low socioeconomic status (SES) students. Academic mentorship may reduce these concerns, highlighting its importance for diverse applicants.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Health Professions Diversity
Background:
- Increasing diversity in the physician associate (PA) profession is crucial for improving patient care.
- Identifying barriers in PA program admissions, such as bias, is vital for recruiting diverse students.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess pre-PA students' concerns regarding bias in PA program admissions.
- To determine if underrepresented minorities in medicine (URM-Med), sexual or gender minority (SGM), or low socioeconomic status (SES) students report higher levels of concern.
- To explore the influence of support systems on perceptions of admissions bias.
Main Methods:
- A 55-item online survey, the "2023 AAPA Student Survey," was administered to pre-PA and PA students between February and March 2023.
- The survey included demographic questions and measured concerns about admissions bias using a 5-point Likert scale.
Main Results:
- 606 of 675 pre-PA students completed the survey; 61.1% expressed concern about bias (mean score 3.65 ± 1.05).
- Students identifying as URM-Med (67.0%), SGM (77.8%), and low SES (75.2%) reported greater concern than their counterparts.
- SGM (OR 2.37) and low SES (OR 1.68) students were more likely to be concerned about bias; academic mentorship was a protective factor (OR 0.64).
Conclusions:
- A majority of pre-PA students perceive bias in admissions, with SGM and low SES students being particularly concerned.
- Academic mentorship appears to mitigate concerns about admissions bias.
- PA programs should strengthen mentorship initiatives to support diverse applicants and address bias concerns.
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