Violet Kulo, EdD, MS, MA, is an associate professor, Health Professions Education, Physician Assistant Leadership and Learning Academy, Graduate School, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland.
James F. Cawley, MPH, PA-C, is a scholar in residence and visiting professor, Physician Assistant Leadership and Learning Academy, Graduate School, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland.
J Physician Assist Educ. 2023 Dec 1;34(4):271-277. doi: 10.1097/JPA.0000000000000554. Epub 2023 Sep 12.
While the processes of ongoing self-assessment and accreditation provide significant benefits to physician assistant (PA) programs, faculty members are often challenged by the required procedures and standards set by accreditation agencies. This study explored faculty perspectives regarding the processes of ongoing self-assessment and accreditation in PA programs.
A qualitative research design centered around semistructured interviews was used. A total of 26 participants were recruited, including PA program directors, associate program directors, directors of assessment and accreditation, past Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant commissioners, accreditation consultants, deans, and PA Education Association leaders.
Semistructured one-on-one interviews were conducted by 8 members of the research team through Zoom video conferencing. Data were collected until saturation was reached.
The interview recordings were transcribed and analyzed independently by 3 researchers. The transcripts were imported into NVivo, a qualitative data analysis software, for coding and inductive thematic analysis.
Six emergent themes were identified under 2 major categories: facilitators and challenges. Facilitators for conducting continuous programmatic review and analysis include it takes a village, internal and external support, and sustained faculty development, whereas challenges are lack of knowledge and time, unclear expectations, and inflexibility.
The study highlights factors associated with facilitating the ongoing self-assessment process. However, a number of challenges were also identified. The study suggests opportunities for intervention at the program, institution, and profession level.
虽然持续的自我评估和认证过程为医师助理（PA）项目带来了重大益处，但教师常常受到认证机构设定的要求和标准所带来的挑战。本研究探讨了教师对 PA 项目中持续自我评估和认证过程的看法。
采用以半结构化访谈为中心的定性研究设计。共招募了 26 名参与者，包括 PA 项目主任、副主任、评估和认证主任、过去的医师助理教育认证审查委员会委员、认证顾问、院长和 PA 教育协会领导。
研究团队的 8 名成员通过 Zoom 视频会议对参与者进行了半结构化的一对一访谈。在达到饱和状态之前，持续收集数据。
采访录音由 3 名研究人员独立转录和分析。这些转录本被导入 NVivo，这是一款定性数据分析软件，用于编码和归纳主题分析。
在两个主要类别下确定了六个突出的主题：促进因素和挑战。进行持续项目审查和分析的促进因素包括“需要一个村庄”、内部和外部支持以及持续的教师发展，而挑战则是缺乏知识和时间、期望不明确以及缺乏灵活性。
该研究强调了与促进持续自我评估过程相关的因素。然而，也确定了一些挑战。该研究提出了在项目、机构和专业层面进行干预的机会。
