4. Professionalism

Program Outcome 4: Professionalism

Physician Assistant students must express positive values and ideals as care is delivered. Foremost, professionalism involves prioritizing the interests of those being served above one’s own while acknowledging professional and personal limitations. Physician Assistant students must demonstrate a high level of responsibility, ethical practice, sensitivity to a diverse patient population, and adherence to legal and regulatory requirements. Upon completion of the program, and acting in the capacity as an entry level PA, students will be able to:

A: Demonstrate professionalism in interactions with others including, but not limited to, patients, families, and other members of the healthcare team

B: Demonstrate knowledge and application of an understanding of the PA role including ethical and professional standards regarding the PA profession

C: Demonstrate knowledge of legal and regulatory requirements specific to the PA profession

D: Demonstrate the ability to recognize their own professional and personal limitations in providing care and appropriate patient referral when necessary

PROGRAM OUTCOME 4A: PROFESSIONALISM IN ACTIONS

Benchmark: Score of 4 or 5 on all Preceptor Evaluation of SCPE Student Survey items pertaining to professionalism by 90% or greater number of cohort students (or, in the case of employer survey, by 90% or greater number of returned surveys).

Outcome: Data collected from the Preceptor Evaluation of the Student’s Clinical Performance evaluations for the Class of 2019, Class of 2020, Class of 2021, Class of 2022 evidence that 100% of the Class of 2019, 93% of the Class of 2020, 100% of the Class of 2021, and 100% Class of 2022 obtained scores of 4 or greater on exhibiting proficiency in student professionalism exhibited by their work ethic, behavior and interpersonal skills including but not limited to the following: punctuality, professional attire and grooming, respective interaction with staff, colleagues, preceptors, and patients; appropriate level of engagement in activities; following directions responding appropriately to constructive criticism.

PROGRAM OUTCOME 4B: ETHICAL & PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS OF PA PROFESSION

Benchmark: 80% or higher score/satisfactory performance level on end-of-program *summative examination questions pertaining to ethical and professional standards by 80% or greater number of cohort students.

Outcome: Data collected from the Class of 2019, Class of 2020, Class of 2021, and Class of 2022 evidence that **66% of students in the Class of 2019, **77% of students in the Class of 2020, 89% of students in the Class of 2021 earned greater than 80% on the end-of-program summative examination questions pertaining to ethical and professional standards.

*For Class of 2022, the summative exam was changed to a different exam where scaled scores are used. Therefore, the goal benchmark was aligned with the scale scores for learner achieving satisfactory performance level. The Summative OSCE assessment was also triangulated with this data and together the data revealed 100% of the Class of 2022 achieved or exceeded the benchmark.

**While the results obtained on scoring of professional practice ethical and professional standards questions were lower than we expected for Class of 2019 and Class of 2020, these same topics on the PANCE exam evidenced the 2019 cohort improved their scoring on this topic to 75% compared to the national average of 78% and the 2020 cohort improved their scoring on this topic to 83% compared to the national average of 81%.

PROGRAM OUTCOME 4C: KNOWLEDGE OF LEGAL/REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS

Benchmark: 90% or higher score/satisfactory performance level on end-of-program summative examination questions pertaining to legal/regulatory requirement by 80% or greater number of cohort students.

Outcome: Data collected from the Class of 2019, Class of 2020, Class of 2021, and Class of 2022 evidence that **66% of students in the Class of 2019, **77% of students in the Class of 2020, 89% of students in the Class of 2021 earned greater than 80% on the end-of-program summative examination questions pertaining to legal and regulatory requirements.

*For Class of 2022, the summative exam was changed to a different exam where scaled scores are used. Therefore, the goal benchmark was aligned with the scale scores for learner achieving satisfactory performance level. The Summative OSCE assessment was also triangulated with this data and together the data revealed 100% of the Class of 2022 achieved or exceeded the benchmark.

**While the results obtained on scoring of the new topics of legal and regulatory requirements were lower than expected, on the PANCE exam the 2019 cohort improved their scoring on this topic to 75% compared to the national average of 78% and the 2020 cohort improved their score to 83% compared to the national average of 81%.

PROGRAM OUTCOME 4D: ABILITY TO RECOGNIZE ONE’S OWN LIMITATIONS

Benchmark: Score of 4 or 5 on all Preceptor Evaluation of SCPE Student items pertaining to professionalism by 90% or greater number of cohort students.

Outcome: Data collected from the Preceptor Evaluation of the Student’s Clinical Performance evaluations evidence 100% of the Class of 2019, 93% of the Class of 2020 students, 100% of the Class of 2021, and 100% Class of 2022 obtained scores of 4 (consistently meets expectations) or 5 (consistently exceeds expectations) on exhibiting proficiency in student professionalism exhibited by their work ethic, behavior and interpersonal skills including but not limited to the following: punctuality, professional attire and grooming, respective interaction with staff, colleagues, preceptors, and patients; appropriate level of engagement in activities; following directions responding appropriately to constructive criticism.