Credentials and Core Clerkships: Who's Training Our Physician Assistant Students (and Does It Matter)?

PURPOSE: Evaluating the effectiveness of supervised clinical practice experiences (SCPEs) is a primary responsibility of the clinical education team. Physician assistant (PA) education is unique because preceptors are not confined to one professional credential. This study evaluated the relationship between students' perceptions of rotation experiences and the professional credentials of the preceptor of record. METHODS: This retrospective data analysis evaluated data from 3 cohorts (2016-2018) across 4 PA programs. Preceptors of record were categorized as MDs/DOs or advanced practice providers (APPs). RESULTS: Analysis of 209 SCPEs found 91 APP preceptors (43%) and 119 MD/DO preceptors (57%). APP preceptors were most prevalent in family medicine/primary care (57%), internal medicine (50%), and emergency medicine (49%). Students' evaluation scores were higher for APP preceptors compared to MD/DO preceptors, but not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that a considerable number of APPs are serving as preceptors and were found to have similar student evaluation scores to those of MD/DO preceptors.