Physician Assistant Goals and Outcomes
PROGRAM GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND OUTCOMES
Goal 1: Academic Excellence
Educating PAs who have the medical knowledge and the clinical skills necessary to provide high quality medical care in a variety of clinical settings.
- Set entrustable professional activities* (EPAs) to ensure excellence in medical knowledge and clinical skills.
- Benchmark: Maintain an average of 85% or higher in each EPA.
| EPAs | Description | 2024** | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | -- | -- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gather and document essential, accurate information about patients thorough history-taking and physical examination | 90% | 94% | 95% | 93% | ||
| 2 | Create a differential diagnosis using clinical patient information | 89% | 93% | 94% | 93% | ||
| 3 | Identify and interpret diagnostic and screening tests when given clinical patient information | 89% | 93% | 93% | 92% | ||
| 4 | Synthesize clinical information to determine appropriate orders and pharmacologic interventions | 89% | 93% | 93% | 92% | ||
| 5 | Develop and implement patient-centered management and education plans | 89% | 93% | 94% | 92% | ||
| 6 | Locate, critically evaluate, integrate and appropriately apply scientific evidence to patient care | 89% | 93% | 93% | 92% | ||
| 8 | Perform general procedures of a physician assistant | 90% | 93% | 94% | 93% | ||
| 10 | Provide preventative health care services and education | 90% | 93% | 94% | 93% |
*EPAs were created 2021. The percentage is calculated using the preceptor evaluation scores of all students in the cohort over all rotations in the year.
**Preceptor scoring scale/benchmark was changed from 90% to 85%.
- Employ faculty and staff members with a commitment to providing the highest standard didactic and clinical education.
- Springfield College PA program employs seven full-time faculty with an average of nearly seven years of full-time teaching and 13 years of clinical experience.
- The exit survey asks students to rate the following on a 5-point Likert scale from agree (5) to disagree (1). I feel prepared to take the PANCE.
- Benchmark: Maintain a rating of 3.5 or higher.
- Benchmark: Maintain a rating of 3.5 or higher.
| Exit Survey | 2024 | 2023 | - | - | - |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average score | 4.57 | 4.73 |
Goal 2: Preparation for Graduation
Prepare graduating PAs throughout their education to provide quality patient care through: professionalism, effective communication and team work, and excellent medical knowledge.
- Set entrustable professional activities* (EPAs) to ensure excellence in providing quality patient care in a variety of medical settings.
- Benchmark: Maintain an average of 85% or higher in each of the EPAs.
- Benchmark: Maintain an average of 85% or higher in each of the EPAs.
| EPA | Description | 2024** | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | -- | -- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Work and communicate effectively and professionally as a leader or member of an interprofessional health care team to provide patient-centered care | 92% | 95% | 95% | 93% | ||
| 9 | Identify personal weaknesses and/or system failures in order to contribute to a culture of safety and improvement | 91% | 94% | 94% | 93% | ||
| 11 | Recognize and develop strategies to address social determinants of health using culturally competent care | 90% | 93% | 94% | 93% |
*EPAs were created 2021. The percentage is calculated using the preceptor evaluation scores of all students in the cohort over all rotations in the year.
**Preceptor scoring scale/benchmark was changed from 90% to 85%.
- Students are prepared for graduation by achieving the Springfield College PA competencies.
- Each student completes a Program Competency Portfolio*, providing evidence from both didactic and clinical year experiences that each competency was met.
- Benchmark: 100% of students pass this assessment.
- Each student completes a Program Competency Portfolio*, providing evidence from both didactic and clinical year experiences that each competency was met.
| Competency Portfolio | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passing percentage | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | - |
*Program Competency Portfolio assignment was created in 2020.
- The exit survey asks students to rate the following on a 5-point Likert scale from agree (5) to disagree (1), with the following statements (average):
- Benchmark: Maintain a rating of 3.5 or higher on each question
- Benchmark: Maintain a rating of 3.5 or higher on each question
| Exit Survey | 2024 | 2023 | - | - | - | - |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The clinical curriculum was sufficient in preparation for meeting program competencies | 4.53 | 4.84 | ||||
| After completing the Springfield College PA program, I feel prepared as a new graduate to practice medicine. | 4.40 | 4.76 |
- Students are prepared for graduation by demonstrating competence on the program defined summative exam.
- Benchmark: Maintain 100% of students passing the summative exam.
- Benchmark: Maintain 100% of students passing the summative exam.
| Summative Exam | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Passing percentage | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
Goal 3: PANCE pass rate
- Benchmark: Achieve a pass rate, at or above the national average for first-time test takers on the NCCPA PANCE exam each year.
| PANCE pass rate | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SC | National | SC | National | SC | National | SC | National | SC | National | SC | National | |
(first time test takers) | 100% | Pending | 97% | 92% | 91% | 92% | 100% | 93% | 97% | 95% | 100% | 93% |
Goal 4: Employment
- Benchmark: Maintain the rate of 100% of graduates being employed within one year of graduation.
| Employment at one year | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | -- | -- | -- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| pending | 100% | 100% |
Goal 5: Accreditation
Springfield College is committed to maintaining ARC-PA accreditation status of Continued
- Benchmark: Maintain continued accreditation status.
ARC-PA Accreditation History
| Date | Status Granted | Next Review |
|---|---|---|
| July 2016 | Accreditation- Continued | September 2026 |
| March 2010 | Accreditation- Continued | March 2015 |
| March 2003 | Accreditation- Continued | March 2009 |
| March 1999 | Accreditation- Continued | March 2003 |
| April 1996 | First Accreditation | March 1999 |
