ohsnapPA Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 Just out of curiosity, what are your opinions on the new 2015 PA school rankings that US News just posted? Do you think it's better/worse than the US News past ranking system? Likewise, what are your views on the accuracy of the ranking scores? Link: http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-health-schools/physician-assistant-rankings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator rev ronin Posted March 10, 2015 Administrator Share Posted March 10, 2015 How does the methodology differ at all? It appears to be purely a popularity/reputation contest, without any reference to price, graduation rates, retention rates, or anything else actually objective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FfIghter23 Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 Not accurate. The methodology sucks. Took one look at first 2 pages and laughed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted March 10, 2015 Moderator Share Posted March 10, 2015 total joke and truly a popularity contest. programs can go from #50 to top ten in a single year without a change in curriculum, rotation sites, or faculty. how is that possible? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
futurepa588 Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 I am not sure about this ranking system. I interviewed at one of the top schools according to this survey and the dean over there told us that they ask may be 3-5 questions on that survey, which are ranked from 1-5 and they average that score. I think that is the primary reason for such fluctuations in the rankings from last time. The schools which were ranked 25 are now ranked 50 and the schools which were in top 5 are now ranked 20. I wouldn't place much importance on the ranking before applying. The most important thing you should look at is if the institution is fully accredited by ARC-PA and board exam pass rates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohsnapPA Posted March 11, 2015 Author Share Posted March 11, 2015 ^ Huh wow, it's a little disturbing that such a reputable source uses such a trivial scoring system! Thanks for all the insight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHU-CH Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 For those who do not know, here is the methodology: they send a survey to every PA program director with a list of every PA program. You are asked to rank them on a scale of 1-5 or respond "N/A" if you are not familiar with a program. That's it. They do not ask you to consider outcomes, faculty, facilities or anything else. So as Rev and EMED note, the survey is really only about name recognition. I would think they could improve the survey by regionalizing it a little more - I know a good bit about programs in my area but almost nothing about a lot of programs far away. And I might be getting old and cynical, but I would be very careful about calling any mainstream press organization a "reputable source!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rknowle Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 It seems to be pretty general knowledge among PA students and PAs that the ranking methodology is questionable at best. Do you think employers might reference this list at all when making hiring decisions? Are they aware of the methodology? Just curious as to who might take this list seriously and how this might affect my career after graduation. I appreciate any insight! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAAdmission Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 Nope, just pass your PANCE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator True Anomaly Posted March 13, 2015 Moderator Share Posted March 13, 2015 It seems to be pretty general knowledge among PA students and PAs that the ranking methodology is questionable at best. Do you think employers might reference this list at all when making hiring decisions? Are they aware of the methodology? Just curious as to who might take this list seriously and how this might affect my career after graduation. I appreciate any insight! To be honest, the only people who really care are those who went to the same program as you. If you're applying for a position as a PA, and it's down between yourself and another candidate whose CV's look identical, the employer might look more favorably upon you if you went to their PA program- but that's pretty much it. I don't think the general populous of PA's or other administrators hiring PA's are at all familiar with the methodology of how this list is put together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbrsmurf Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 Top 40 lists on music radio stations are more scientifically rigorous that US News lists Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rknowle Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 Thanks for your replies! I became a little concerned when I saw my school's ranking that the list might somehow affect my future hiring potential. You all have quelled my uneasiness. Back to studying for finals! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbrothers98 Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 There prolly are factors that could set PA programs apart from each other that were outlined above in addition to the resources available to the program's students. These resources could range from the physical plant to specific faculty/rotation sites/preceptor/curriculum. USN&WR wont spend that much effort actually investigating this though. They put together these rankings in order to sell magazines, get traffic to their website and entice unsuspecting buyers to purchase their compilations of lists that have no bonafide statistical basis. The better thing to do is do the research of a program, visit if you can but realize that you really wont know what you are getting till you are hip deep in. Then instead of wishing you had gone elsewhere, make the best of the hand you are dealt. I work in proximity to a Ivy League medical school & center. I periodically meet students and residents who are not terribly enthused about their choice in retrospect, believing their needs and desires could have been met better at some other Holy Grail of an institution. That thought process is an insight into the lack of pragmatism they have and will lead them to further disappointment if persists. The short version....best of lists are idiotic, dont fall for them. G Brothers PA-C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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