other – hbcu
Despite significant growth in physician assistant (PA) training programs from 2013 to 2021, Black men aged 20-29 represented only 2.2% of applicants and 1.2% of matriculants, lower than their 8.7% representation in the US population. This suggests no progress in increasing Black men in PA training programs. To achieve population parity, each PA program should evaluate more applicants and matriculate more Black men annually. The underrepresentation of Black men in the health care workforce, particularly among PAs, represents a missed opportunity to alleviate shortages of health care professionals and enhance workforce diversity. Increasing the number of Black men in the training pipeline could significantly benefit education, patient care, and overall health