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Achievements

The goals of the Physician Assistant Program at the Wake Forest School of Medicine are focused on our students, our educators and scholars, and the rapidly evolving healthcare ennvironment.  Some of our many achievements are reflections of these goals.

Attract the Most Talented Students

• In 2010, the average score on PANCE on first attempt for Wake Forest PA Program graduates was 568, which is 10 points higher than the national average of 558.
• In 2011, the average score on PANCE on first attempt for Wake Forest PA Program graduates was 657, which is 83 points higher than the national average score of 574.
• In 2011, 16 or our graduates scored an 800 on PANCE on first attempt which is the highest reported score for the certification examination.
• In 2010, matriculants had an average of 3800 hours of patient care experience before starting the program.
• In 2011, matriculants had an average of 3877 hours of patient care experience before starting the program.
• 100% of students surveyed during exit interviews within the Class of 2012 report engaged in volunteer activity during their PA training (n=40, RR=75%).  Volunteerism included participation within a student-run clinic, fundraisers for our medical center's Burn Unit and Pediatrics Services, blood drives for the American Red Cross, community service with Habitat for Humanity, collections for a local food bank, and a variety of other programs.
  
  
  
• In 2011 and 2012, more than half of matriculants came from highly or most competitive colleges and universities based on an established rating scale of institutions of higher learning. 
• The program requires the completion of a bachelor's degree prior to entry but some matriculants come to our institution after prior completion of advanced degrees.
  • In 2010, four matriculants earned a masters degree prior to entry and one matriculant earned a doctorate prior to entry. 
  • In 2011, seven matriculants earned a masters degree prior to entry and two matriculants earned a doctorate prior to entry.

Develop a National Preeminent Curriculum to Meet
Tomorrow's Workforce Needs

• Graduates feel highly prepared for clinical practice across all competency domains.  The table below demonstrates graduate perceptions on a 5-point Likert scale (i.e. 5 = most prepared).
  

  Area Evaluated	Class of 2010	Class of 2011
  	n=27 RR=53%	n=18 RR=35%
  Medical Knowledge	4.21	4.02
  Interpersonal and Communication Skills	4.56	4.45
  Patient Care	4.31	4.36
  Professionalism	4.50	4.51
  Practice Based Learning and Improvement	4.09	4.00
  Systems-Based Practice	3.84	3.80

• Job placement data for the Class of 2008 - 2011.
      
                             PC= Primary Care Practice
                             HPSA = Health Profession Shortage Area
                             MUA = Medically Underserved Area
                             Specialty = Medical Specialty Practice
• All respondents in the 2010 Graduate Survey reported current employment in clinical practice.  39% were employed within primary care, including family medicine, general internal medicine and pediatric practices (n=18, RR=35%).
• All respondents in the 2010 Graduate Survey were employed at 6 months after graduation, and 35% were employed within primary care or community health practices (n=27, RR=53%).
• Survey data from prior graduates consistently reveals graduate preparedness for a wide variety of clinical practice positions, and our graduates report careers in primary care, surgical care, emergency care, critical care, and a host of internal medicine subspecialties.