Evidence map›Paper›PMID 26623223›Full record

ArticleCureus2015

Knowledge and Perceptions of College Students Regarding the Physician Assistant Profession.

Mark Volpe, Sandra Bulmer, Chandra Kelsey

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cureus, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Final-year medical students need to know their future supervisory role of clinical associates.South African family practice : official journal of the South African Academy of Family Practice/Primary Care · 2020
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Mark VolpeSchool of Medicine, Yale University.
Sandra BulmerSchool of Health and Human Services, Southern Connecticut State University.
Chandra KelseyDepartment of Public Health, Southern Connecticut State University.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposePhysician assistants (PAs) are nationally certified and state-licensed medical professionals who practice medicine on healthcare teams with physicians and other providers. Despite the increasing popularity and utility of the profession, knowledge of the role of PAs remains scarce among many segments of the population. The purpose of this study was to determine the knowledge and perceptions of the PA profession among undergraduate college students, as well as what factors are associated with better knowledge and perception of the profession.

methodsUsing a cross-sectional survey, information was gathered regarding knowledge and perception of PAs. A total of 364 students were surveyed from randomly selected undergraduate courses at a Connecticut public university.

resultsKnowledge scores were significantly higher (p<0.05) in older students, female students, those with plans to pursue a healthcare career, those majoring in health and human services, and those satisfied with care received from a PA. Significantly better perceptions (p<0.05) of PAs were found in older students, those with plans for a future career in healthcare, those majoring in health and human services, those who received prior care from a PA, and those who were satisfied with prior care from a PA. After a short educational intervention, improvements in perceptions were statistically significant (p<0.001) in the surveyed population.

conclusionThis study identifies areas of needed improvement in knowledge and perception of PAs and also provides impetus for educational and marketing-based interventions to improve knowledge and perception of the PA profession in the college student population.

Indexed as

college studentsknowledgemedical educationperceptionsphysician assistant

Identifiers

PMID26623223
PMCPMC4659584

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.