Black and Hispanic Representation Declined After Increased Degree Requirements for Physician Assistants

Jordan Herring, Jordan Herring, MS, is a program associate in the Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity and PhD student in the Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration at George Washington University, District of Columbia.
Erin Brantley, Jordan Herring, MS, is a program associate in the Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity and PhD student in the Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration at George Washington University, District of Columbia.
Tamara S. Ritsema, Jordan Herring, MS, is a program associate in the Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity and PhD student in the Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration at George Washington University, District of Columbia.
Qian Luo, Jordan Herring, MS, is a program associate in the Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity and PhD student in the Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration at George Washington University, District of Columbia.
Howard Straker, Jordan Herring, MS, is a program associate in the Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity and PhD student in the Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration at George Washington University, District of Columbia.
Ed Salsberg, Jordan Herring, MS, is a program associate in the Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity and PhD student in the Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration at George Washington University, District of Columbia.

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

2-16-2024

Journal

The journal of physician assistant education : the official journal of the Physician Assistant Education Association

DOI

10.1097/JPA.0000000000000572

Abstract

PURPOSE: The physician assistant (PA) profession is one of the least racially and ethnically diverse health professions requiring advanced education. New PA graduates are even less diverse than the current PA workforce and less diverse than professions requiring doctoral degrees. Between 1995 and 2020, the percent of all PA graduates that were Black individuals fell from 7% to 3.1%, while Hispanic representation increased from 4.5% to 7.9%. METHODS: Using the federal Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, we examine the impact of transitions to master's degrees for PAs on Black and Hispanic representation between 1995 and 2020, using individual universities as the unit of analysis. RESULTS: After adjusting for state and year effects, PA programs that transitioned from bachelor's to master's degrees experienced a 5.3% point decline in Black representation and a 3.8% point decline in Hispanic representation. Relative to the already low proportions of Black and Hispanic graduates in PA programs, these declines are significant. CONCLUSION: Steps should be taken to ensure that underrepresented populations have greater access to PA education.

Department

Physician Assistant Studies

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