Idaho State University

• Jennifer Coombs, MPAS, PA-C, University of Utah Physician Assistant Program
• Cynthia Bunde, MS, PA-C, Idaho State University Department of Physician Assistant Studies
• Dave Luce, Midwestern University, Physician Assistant Program
• Tony Brenneman, University of Iowa, Physician Assistant Program
• Cathryn Erickson, Health and Nutrition Sciences Bachelor's student, Physician Assistant Studies Student Research Assistant.

The selection of PA students is often a complex process involving the analysis of applicant characteristics and pre-admission factors such as GPA, GRE scores, recommendations, prior medical experience, and level of education. The admissions process is a labor intensive and often financially expensive task. As such, the selection of well-qualified students is of paramount importance to programs. The cost to students of attendance is also significant and appears to be on an endlessly upward trend. For them the selection process is equally important. Furthermore, the growing need for primary care providers creates a pressing concern for the communities in which we live and practice.

It is critical that PA programs find the most efficient means for selecting students who are likely to complete their programs successfully and pass the PANCE. Research to date has examined the predictive value of pre-entrance qualifications such as the GRE in graduate education, but a large sample-size, multi-institutional studies that measure relationships between admissions factors and PA student performance have not been published. Certain demographic and program characteristics have been studied, including age, gender, prior educational experience, and military service component as well as pay grade. However, these studies have not included factors such as the GRE and entrance GPA.

There is a need for a multi-institutional, multi-factorial study to be performed in order to determine the degree of relationship between the applicant factors and student performance. This study will first determine the degree of relationship between admissions factors such as entrance GPA with PANCE score and Program GPA. Secondly, a confirmatory analysis will include gender, age, and the degree conferred by the program as predictors of PANCE score.

The results of this study may help programs improve the efficiency of their admissions processes. This study may also help reduce the number of students who complete programs but are unable to pass the PANCE. However, faculty and admissions personnel need to apply the results of this study cautiously, within the context of a comprehensive admissions process. Many factors contribute to student success and to effective clinical practice. This study may help in identifying those who possess the academic skills to pass the PANCE.