In the comprehensive 2009 Report on Emergency Medicine Physician Assistants survey that was commissioned by the Society of Emergency Medicine Physician Assistants (SEMPA) and the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), and conducted by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA), general information on EMPA education was collected and analyzed. Results are broken down by SEMPA members, non-members and total respondents.
Initial Degree from PA Program
The following tables provide data results on the initial degree earned from PA program.
Education
|
SEMPA
|
Non SEMPA
|
All Respondents
|
Frequency
|
Percent
|
Frequency
|
Percent
|
Frequency
|
Percent
|
Associate
|
16
|
4.71%
|
60
|
7.47%
|
76
|
6.65%
|
Certificate
|
64
|
18.82%
|
170
|
21.17%
|
234
|
20.47%
|
Bachelor
|
152
|
44.71%
|
386
|
48.07%
|
538
|
47.07%
|
Master
|
107
|
31.76%
|
186
|
23.16%
|
293
|
25.72%
|
Methods to Obtain Postgraduate Degree
The following tables provide EMPA data results on methods to obtain postgraduate degree.
Methods
|
SEMPA
|
Non SEMPA
|
All Respondents
|
Frequency
|
Percent
|
Frequency
|
Percent
|
Frequency
|
Percent
|
Traditional
|
73
|
46.50%
|
202
|
57.06%
|
275
|
53.82%
|
Distance
|
72
|
45.86%
|
138
|
38.98%
|
210
|
41.10%
|
Other
|
12
|
7.64%
|
14
|
3.95%
|
26
|
5.10%
|
Total
|
157
|
100%
|
354
|
100%
|
511
|
100%
|
Experience in the Emergency Department Prior to PA Education
The following tables provide data results for the experience in the emergency department prior to PA education. It should be noted that respondents were given the ability to select multiple responses on the types of experiences they had prior to entering PA programs, so the numbers reported exceed the actual number of respondents.
Experience
|
SEMPA
|
Non SEMPA
|
All Respondents
|
Frequency
|
Percent
|
Frequency
|
Percent
|
Frequency
|
Percent
|
Paramedic
|
185
|
48.56%
|
263
|
30.69%
|
448
|
36.19%
|
RN
|
20
|
5.25%
|
63
|
7.35%
|
83
|
6.70%
|
Other
|
91
|
23.88%
|
240
|
28.00%
|
331
|
26.74%
|
None
|
85
|
22.31%
|
291
|
33.96%
|
376
|
30.37%
|
Total
|
381
|
100.00%
|
857
|
100.00%
|
1238
|
100.00%
|
How PAs Received Emergency Medicine Training
The table below provides data results on how EMPAs received emergency medicine training.
Training Methods
|
SEMPA
|
Non SEMPA
|
All Respondents
|
Frequency
|
Percent
|
Frequency
|
Percent
|
Frequency
|
Percent
|
Formal Residency
|
54
|
14.48%
|
80
|
9.07%
|
134
|
10.68%
|
On-Job-Training
|
290
|
77.75%
|
710
|
80.50%
|
1000
|
79.68%
|
Other
|
29
|
7.77%
|
92
|
10.43%
|
121
|
9.64%
|
Total
|
373
|
100.00%
|
882
|
100.00%
|
1255
|
100.00%
|