Diversity in the Physician Assistant Pipeline: Experiences and Barriers in Admissions and PA School.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to identify perceived barriers faced by physician assistant (PA) students who identified as an underrepresented minority in medicine (URM-med), sexual or gender minority (SGM), coming from low socioeconomic status (low SES), or a person with a disability (PWD).

Methods: More than 2700 PA students across the United States provided information regarding their PA school application process and program experiences. This study examined differences among URM-med, SGM, low SES, and PWD compared to those who were not in those groups to determine the relationship between these factors and student concerns about bias in the application process, as well as a variety of experiences in PA school.

Assessing the Economics of an Entry-Level Physician Assistant Doctoral Degree.

Purpose: An entry-level doctoral degree for the physician assistant (PA) profession has been a perennial issue since the master's degree approval in 2000 and the 2009 release of the Clinical Doctorate Summit Report. Many PA counterparts have transitioned to required or optional doctoral degrees for entry into practice. Although the PA profession has not adopted an entry-level doctorate, postgraduate doctoral programs have proliferated.

Primary care workforce paradox: A physician shortage and a PA and NP surplus.

Objective: Primary care workforce projections continue to predict significant physician shortages. An oversupply of primary care physician assistants (PAs) and NPs also is predicted. This paradox calls into question the assumptions that underlie workforce projection models, which likely underestimate the primary care contributions of PAs and NPs.

Assessing the Impact of a Professional Development Program for Physician Assistant Program Directors.

Purpose: The growth of physician assistant (PA) programs nationally has stretched the available capacity of experienced PA program directors. To address this need, a professional developmental program was designed to provide new program directors with the knowledge, skills, and resources necessary to succeed in the role. This study sought to characterize the impact of program attendance over time.

Diethylstilbestrol: Potential health risks for women exposed in utero and their offspring.

Diethylstilbestrol (DES) is a synthetic estrogen given to pregnant women to prevent miscarriages and preterm labor; the drug was used between 1941 and 1971 in the United States and into the 1980s in other countries. DES exposure is associated with significant long-term health effects, including increased risk for breast cancer, cervical and vaginal clear cell adenocarcinoma, reproductive tract abnormalities, infertility, poor pregnancy outcomes, and early menopause. This article reviews the potential health risks associated with DES exposure, how to assess which patients are at risk, and management recommendations for patients exposed to DES.

Improving anticoagulation management at the point of care.

Many physicians and other providers attempt therapeutic warfarin oversight without regularly scheduled anticoagulation appointments. Studies show that the risk of major bleeding or thromboembolic events due to warfarin therapy is between 2 percent and 12 percent per year. Point-of-care anticoagulation devices are convenient for patients and physicians and allow for patient-focused anticoagulation care.