33515 Pilot survey project on procedural skills opportunities in skin of color for dermatology physician assistants

Background: Physician assistants (PAs) are increasingly vital to the dermatology workforce to meet the demands of the U.S. population as it increases in size and diversity. Dermatology physicians undergo training in specialized treatment for skin of color (SoC) patients. This pilot study explored the educational and procedural experiences among dermatology PAs. A survey was used to identify strengths and areas of improvement in SOC procedural skill education. Methods: The link to an IRB-exempt, anonymous 16-item survey was posted to the Society of Dermatology Physician Assistants (SDPA) message forum for 3 weeks, with 1 follow-up reminder. Survey questions assessed the dermatologic education and training for SoC before, during, and after PA education via voluntary self-report. Data on PA procedural experiences, procedural confidence levels, and training satisfaction were collected. Statistical analysis was conducted using R Version 4.0.5. Results: Twenty-five PAs responded, while 19 completed the survey (completion rate: 76%). Forty-four percent (13/19) reported receiving no SoC dermatologic didactic sessions in their PA curriculum. Fifty-two percent (11/19) reported no supervised procedural training specific to SoC. Those who received training reported greater confidence in choosing and performing treatments for SoC patients (P < .05). Conclusion: Our pilot highlighted the need to shorten our questionnaire for ease of completion (acceptability) and develop alternative dissemination options (ie, email) to increase respondent participation (feasibility). Some PAs expressed apprehension about participating, and thus, clarification of study’s goals will be an important factor to improve participation for the next version.