The Evolution of Physician Assistant Faculty

This article provides a profile of physician assistant (PA) educators' characteristics, their endeavors within academic life, challenges for the education community, and suggested future research initiatives that could enhance our understanding of these dedicated professionals. The past 40 years have seen the roles of PA educators evolve in a variety of ways. While the first educators were non-PAs, by the mid-1980s nearly half were baccalaureate-degreed PAs who held instructor or associate rank. The move of many programs to the master’s degree has led to the increased use of PAs with advanced degrees, including doctoral degrees. Publication productivity studies suggest increases in the scholarly output of PA faculty despite the continued barriers of lack of time and institutional support. Faculty efforts in the realms of teaching and service are underresearched and ripe for investigation. Additional challenges and potential research foci include recruitment and retention of PA educators, the need for doctorally prepared educators, and the effectiveness of program initiatives from curricula to patient care outcomes.