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Noncognitive Attributes in Physician Assistant Education.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Brenneman, AE; Goldgar, C; Hills, KJ; Snyder, JH; VanderMeulen, SP; Lane, S
Published in: J Physician Assist Educ
March 2018

Physician assistant (PA) admissions processes have typically given more weight to cognitive attributes than to noncognitive ones, both because a high level of cognitive ability is needed for a career in medicine and because cognitive factors are easier to measure. However, there is a growing consensus across the health professions that noncognitive attributes such as emotional intelligence, empathy, and professionalism are important for success in clinical practice and optimal care of patients. There is also some evidence that a move toward more holistic admissions practices, including evaluation of noncognitive attributes, can have a positive effect on diversity. The need for these noncognitive attributes in clinicians is being reinforced by changes in the US health care system, including shifting patient demographics and a growing emphasis on team-based care and patient satisfaction, and the need for clinicians to help patients interpret complex medical information. The 2016 Physician Assistant Education Association Stakeholder Summit revealed certain behavioral and affective qualities that employers of PAs value and sometimes find lacking in new graduates. Although there are still gaps in the evidence base, some tools and technologies currently exist to more accurately measure noncognitive variables. We propose some possible strategies and tools that PA programs can use to formalize the way they select for noncognitive attributes. Since PA programs have, on average, only 27 months to educate students, programs may need to focus more resources on selecting for these attributes than teaching them.

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Published In

J Physician Assist Educ

DOI

ISSN

1941-9430

Publication Date

March 2018

Volume

29

Issue

1

Start / End Page

25 / 34

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • School Admission Criteria
  • Resilience, Psychological
  • Professionalism
  • Physician Assistants
  • Interviews as Topic
  • Humans
  • Group Processes
  • Empathy
  • Emotional Intelligence
  • Cultural Diversity
 

Citation

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Brenneman, A. E., Goldgar, C., Hills, K. J., Snyder, J. H., VanderMeulen, S. P., & Lane, S. (2018). Noncognitive Attributes in Physician Assistant Education. J Physician Assist Educ, 29(1), 25–34. https://doi.org/10.1097/JPA.0000000000000187
Brenneman, Anthony E., Constance Goldgar, Karen J. Hills, Jennifer H. Snyder, Stephane P. VanderMeulen, and Steven Lane. “Noncognitive Attributes in Physician Assistant Education.J Physician Assist Educ 29, no. 1 (March 2018): 25–34. https://doi.org/10.1097/JPA.0000000000000187.
Brenneman AE, Goldgar C, Hills KJ, Snyder JH, VanderMeulen SP, Lane S. Noncognitive Attributes in Physician Assistant Education. J Physician Assist Educ. 2018 Mar;29(1):25–34.
Brenneman, Anthony E., et al. “Noncognitive Attributes in Physician Assistant Education.J Physician Assist Educ, vol. 29, no. 1, Mar. 2018, pp. 25–34. Pubmed, doi:10.1097/JPA.0000000000000187.
Brenneman AE, Goldgar C, Hills KJ, Snyder JH, VanderMeulen SP, Lane S. Noncognitive Attributes in Physician Assistant Education. J Physician Assist Educ. 2018 Mar;29(1):25–34.

Published In

J Physician Assist Educ

DOI

ISSN

1941-9430

Publication Date

March 2018

Volume

29

Issue

1

Start / End Page

25 / 34

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • School Admission Criteria
  • Resilience, Psychological
  • Professionalism
  • Physician Assistants
  • Interviews as Topic
  • Humans
  • Group Processes
  • Empathy
  • Emotional Intelligence
  • Cultural Diversity