Central Application Service for Physician Assistants Fifteen-Year Data Report 2002-2016

PURPOSE

This study highlights trends in available physician assistant (PA) applicant and matriculant data over the first 15 years of the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) service (2002-2016). This study expands knowledge identified in the CASPA 10-year data report.

METHODS

This was a retrospective analysis of CASPA data from all CASPA-participating PA programs between 2002 and 2016. Central Application Service for Physician Assistants staff verified all applicant academic information. In addition, beginning in 2007, the online CASPA admissions portal linked matriculant data with applicant data.

RESULTS

During the first 15 years of the CASPA service, there was a 194% increase in the number of CASPA-participating programs (from 68 to 200) and a 409% increase in the number of total applicants. Several trends identified in the CASPA 10-year report persisted, including increasing grade point averages among applicants and matriculants and lower matriculation rates among underrepresented minority applicants and applicants who reported economic disadvantage.

CONCLUSION

This 15-year comprehensive analysis of the CASPA data will benefit the profession by providing historical information that faculty and policymakers can use as a basis for developing and evaluating future admissions policies and practices.

Screening for post-traumatic stress disorder among Latinx immigrant children

ABSTRACT

Latinx children face psychosocial, linguistic, and economic challenges that put them at an increased risk of developing mental health conditions. Primary care providers should be equipped to recognize the complex mental health needs of this growing population. This article explores some of the barriers to mental health screenings in Latinx children and presents culturally sensitive, validated screening tools for primary care providers.

Study on optical properties of l-valine doped ADP crystal

Single crystal of l-valine doped ammonium dihydrogen phosphate has been grown by slow evaporation method at room temperature. The crystalline nature of the grown crystal was confirmed using powder X-ray diffraction technique. The different functional groups of the grown crystal were identified using Fourier transform infrared analysis. The UV-visible studies were employed to examine the high optical transparency and influential optical constants for tailoring materials suitability for optoelectronics applications. The cutoff wavelength of the title crystal was found to be 280nm with wide optical band gap of 4.7eV. The dielectric measurements were carried to determine the dielectric constant and dielectric loss at room temperature. The grown crystal has been characterized by thermogravimetric analysis. The second harmonic generation efficiency of the grown crystal was determined by the classical Kurtz powder technique and it is found to be 1.92 times that of potassium dihydrogen phosphate. The grown crystal was identified as third order nonlinear optical material employing Z-scan technique using He-Ne laser operating at 632.8nm.