According to a new study from scholars at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in Los Angeles, Black men are significantly underrepresented in the physician assistant and associate (PA) profession compared to their share of the United States population.
For their study, the authors examined data from the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants for PA training programs in the United States for the 2012-2013 and the 2020-2021 application cycles. Over this nine year period, applicants to PA programs grew by 64.3 percent.
Despite the overall increase in PA program applicants, the share of Black male applicants remained around 2.2 percent, and the share of Black men who matriculated into programs averaged 1.2 percent from 2012 to 2021. This is notably less than Black men’s 8.7 percent share of the United States population for individuals aged 20 to 29.
“This crisis demands a call to action, open discussions, and targeted strategic efforts to ensure equal opportunities for Black men,” the authors write. They offer several suggestions as to how this racial gap can be closed, including promoting the PA profession in Black communities, establishing mentorship programs for Black men interested in the field, implementing anti-bias training for admission faculty, and creating inclusive and diverse campus environments.
