Student Performance Metrics and the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam ® : A 3-Year Multi-Institutional Study.

INTRODUCTION: Given the 2019 Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE) blueprint update from the National Commission on the Certification of Physician Assistants, it is imperative that programs conduct analyses of student performance metrics and PANCE scores. The purpose of this multi-institutional study was to examine the relationship between PANCE scores and student performance metrics/attributes from PA program graduates from 2017-2019. METHODS: A multiple linear regression was calculated to predict PANCE score indicators based on student attributes and performance metrics from 3 PA programs. Metrics included: PAEA End of Rotation exams, PACKRAT scores, academic performance in clinical medicine didactic courses, cumulative grade point average, and select demographic and admissions attributes (age, sex, and first generation to attend college). Descriptive statistics were employed to provide contextual information and an overview of the included data points. RESULTS: A significant regression equation was found with r-square of 0.709. Clinical Medicine II didactic course grades, PACKRAT I & II scores, and PAEA End of Rotation Exam scores in Family Medicine and Internal Medicine were all significant predictors of PANCE score. DISCUSSION: In consideration of the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) Standards and expectations for ongoing self-assessment, including PANCE analysis, this research was timely and necessary. To date, there is very limited research regarding student performance metrics given the PANCE blueprint update in 2019, and these data are critical to aid programs in ongoing development and best preparation for learners.

Intraprofessional education with dental hygienists: The post training impact on dentists.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: Generally, dental and dental hygiene (DH) students are educated separately. When these students are educated together, studies show improvements in teamwork and understanding of their distinct roles. This longitudinal study was conducted to see if intraprofessional education (IntraPE) between dental and DH students can impact dentists in practice. Specifically, this study examined the attitudes of graduates from the University of Washington School of Dentistry (UWSOD), some of whom participated in the Regional Initiative in Dental Education (RIDE) program. The RIDE program, designed to meet the needs of underserved populations, combines courses of 8 first-year dental students with 30-36 Eastern Washington University DH students. METHODS: In 2018, all 409 UWSOD dentists from 2012-2017, including 48 RIDE and 361 non-RIDE dentists, were invited to participate in this study. Attitudes toward teamwork and roles and responsibilities were assessed using qualitative and quantitative measures. The RIDE and non-RIDE responses were compared and tested using t-tests for statistical significance. RESULTS: A total of 77 responses were analyzed with a response rate of 54% (n = 26) for RIDE and 14% (n = 51) for non-RIDE. Results show the RIDE program improved attitudes toward DH in practice. There was a statistically significant difference between the groups in understanding roles and responsibilities, but not teamwork. The majority of non-RIDE dentists (n = 26, 51%) felt their education would have benefited from formal IntraPE. CONCLUSION: To improve attitudes, dental schools should consider formal partnerships between dental and DH programs, specifically in clinical settings.

A Multi-Institutional Study of Dental Student Readiness to Address Adolescent Risk Behaviors.

The aim of this replication study was to determine if prior findings at one U.S. dental school about dental students' comfort discussing and perceptions of the relevance of 15 risk behaviors to adolescent patient oral health care would be observed at other institutions. All first- and fourth-year dental students (n=414) at three U.S. dental schools in fall 2017 were invited to participate, and 218 completed the survey (52.7% response rate). These students reported feeling comfortable to uncomfortable discussing risk behaviors with adolescent patients, yet perceived those risk behaviors as relevant to their oral health. There were significant differences in student comfort discussing risk behaviors with adolescents and their perceptions of relevance by gender, age, class status, and school location. Males were more comfortable than females discussing oral health risk behaviors. There were no significant differences by race/ethnicity. Fourth-year students had higher levels of comfort discussing risk behaviors than first-year students. Compared to students in the South and Midwest schools, students at the West school were more comfortable discussing selected topics and had higher perceptions of their relevance to adolescent oral health care. These results suggest there is room for improvement in this area of dental education. Dental schools should aim to strengthen students' knowledge of and comfort in discussing oral health risk behaviors with adolescent patients with the use of educational activities and clinical experiences.

Dental Students' Knowledge of Resources for LGBT Persons: Findings from Three Dental Schools.

Recently, there has been increased attention to including cultural diversity in the education of health professionals, including concern for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) inclusion and visibility. Studies regarding cultural exposure and acceptance of LGBT populations have been concentrated in medicine, with findings showing that medical providers often graduate having missed the preparation required to care for LGBT persons. A visible, comprehensive, culturally competent environment in dental schools would help ensure that all oral health professionals and students are aware of services available to address the particular needs of LGBT students. The aims of this survey-based study conducted in 2015-16 were to determine dental students' perceptions regarding LGBT students' needs and to assess dental students' knowledge of resources for LGBT persons at three U.S. dental schools, one each in the Midwest, West, and South. Of the 849 students invited to participate, 364 completed the survey (338 dental, 26 dental hygiene), for an overall response rate of 43%. The response rate at individual schools ranged from 30% to 55%. The results showed perceptions of insufficient LGBT information, resources, and support at these institutions, especially at the Western school. There were significant differences among the three schools, with students at the Western school more than the other two schools perceiving that their institution was less aware of whether it met the academic, social support, and spiritual needs of LGBT students. There were no significant differences between LGBT and non-LGBT students' perceptions. The authors urge dental school administrators to explore the degree to which their programs teach respectful and caring behavior towards LGBT students and, by extension, LGBT patient populations.

Expanding assessments of translational research programs: supplementing metrics with value judgments.

The University of Washington (UW) Institute for Translational Health Sciences (ITHS), funded by a Clinical and Translational Sciences Award program, has supplemented its initial Kellogg Logic Model-based program evaluation with the eight judgment-based evaluative elements of the World Health Organization's (WHO) Health Services Assessment Model. This article describes the relationship between the two models, the rationale for the decision to supplement the evaluation with WHO evaluative elements, the value-added results of the WHO evaluative elements, and plans for further developing the WHO assessments.