By Faculty for FacultyAcademic Rank Barriers for Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners

- Physician assistants (PAs) and nurse practitioners (NPs) may be engaged in education and research.
- PA/NP workforce surveys do not address academic rank for those employed at academic medical centers.
- A PA/NP survey of an academic medical enterprise found that most regard academic rank as important.
- Few PA/NPs had achieved academic rank.
- Lack of time was the most common barrier to attaining academic rank.
- Interventions are needed to help PA/NPs overcome barriers to obtaining academic career goals.

The aim of this study was to assess physician assistant (PA) and nurse practitioner (NP) perceived barriers to obtaining academic rank. A questionnaire was administered to PAs and NPs at the 3 main campuses of an academic medical enterprise. Of the 800 surveys sent out, 403 (50%) were returned. Overall, 70% of respondents indicated that they did not have academic rank. Most (74%) felt that achieving rank was important. The most common barrier to achieving rank was “lack of time”; 64% indicated 2 or more barriers. Strategies to improve recognition through academic advancement need to be developed and tested for their effect on PA and NP careers.