Expansion of Physician Assistant Education.
Physician assistant (PA) educational programs were created in the 1960s to prepare a new type of health care practitioner. Physician assistant programs began as experiments in medical education, and later, they proved to be highly successful in preparing capable, flexible, and productive clinicians. The growth of PA educational programs in US medical education-stimulated by grants, public policy, and anticipated shortages of providers-has gone through 3 distinct phases. At present, such programs are in the midst of the third growth spurt that is expected to continue beyond 2020, as a large number of colleges and universities seek to sponsor PA programs and attain accreditation status. Characteristics of these new programs are described, and the implications of the current expansion of PA education are examined.
James F. Cawley, MPH, DHL(Hon), PA-C, is a professor in the Department of Prevention and Community Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Washington, DC. P. Eugene Jones, PhD, PA-C, is a professor and chair of the Department of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas. Anthony A. Miller, MEd, PA-C, is a professor and director of the Division of Physician Assistant Studies, Shenandoah University, Winchester, Virginia. Venetia L. Orcutt, PhD, PA-C, is an associate professor in the Department of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.
James F
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Cawley
P Eugene
PE
Jones
Anthony A
AA
Miller
Venetia L
VL
Orcutt
D004517:Education, Professional / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010823:Physician Assistants / Q000193:education*; D014481:United States