Teaching Provider Wellness and Physician Assistant Student Well-Being

Adrian Banning, Bettie Coplan, Michael T. Levasseur

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this novel study was to determine whether any association exists between student well-being and physician assistant (PA) program approaches to teaching provider health and well-being (provider wellness).MethodsData were sourced from 3 PA Education Association surveys. Data from the 2019 Matriculating Student and End of Program Surveys (EOPS) were analyzed to compare student-reported well-being across 6 measures. Next, data from the 2019 Didactic Curriculum Survey were assessed and matched to the 2019 EOPS data. Finally, generalized estimating equation models were used to assess the independent effects of course structure, mode of instruction, and contact hours on well-being scores among end-of-program students (within one month of graduation).ResultsWhile levels of well-being were generally favorable, except for "level of social activity" (P =.20), across measures, graduating student levels of well-being (P <.05) were statistically significantly lower than matriculating student levels of well-being. No associations were found between levels of student well-being and whether programs reported teaching or not teaching provider wellness. Some aspects of instruction (eg, contact hours) were inconsistently associated with various well-being measures.ConclusionIn this study, no consistent associations between approaches to teaching provider wellness and various measures of student well-being were identified. Further research is needed to determine what approaches to promoting wellness are effective.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)245-250
Number of pages6
JournalJournal of Physician Assistant Education
Volume34
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 1 2023

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Education
  • Medical Assisting and Transcription

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