Date of Award
5-2023
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
Institution Granting Degree
Trevecca Nazarene University
Cedarville University School or Department
Kinesiology and Allied Health
First Advisor
Dr. Ryan Longnecker
Keywords
Physician Assistant, PA, education, retention, collegiality, institutional support, faculty development
Abstract
This study investigated the factors, both personally and institutionally, long-term physician assistant (PA) faculty associate with longevity in their field. A qualitative, phenomenological design utilized extended interview interactions between the researcher and participants to understand why these individuals have continued in PA education for more than ten years when many faculty leave in the first three years of teaching. The personal traits of flexibility and organization were named most often as beneficial for PA educators. The data's thematic analysis revealed that collegiality, strong programmatic and institutional support, and faculty development starting with a formal onboarding process were associated with PA faculty retention. These themes correlated well with a literature review on faculty retention and job satisfaction in medical educators.
Recommended Citation
Hodgin, Faye, "So Glad You Stayed: A Qualitative Exploration of Long-Term PA Educators' Reasons for Staying in Academia" (2023). Faculty Dissertations. 161.
https://digitalcommons.cedarville.edu/faculty_dissertations/161
