Higher levels of self-efficacy and readiness for a future career among Spanish-speaking physician assistant students after their volunteer work at a student-run free clinic in the United States

Abstract

Volunteering at a free clinic may influence career choice among health profession students. The purpose of this study was to explore knowledge, skills, attitudes, self-efficacy, interest in future work with the underserved, and interest in primary care among physician assistant (PA) students through an analysis of demographic characteristics of PA students at a student-run free clinic in the United States. Data were collected from 56 PA students through a quantitative survey in October 2018 after their participation at a student-run free clinic in Salt Lake City, Utah, in the intermountain west region of the USA. Out of the 3 sub-scales (attitudes, effect, and readiness), students responded most positively to items exploring the effect of their experiences of volunteering at the free clinic. Students who spoke Spanish showed higher levels of self-efficacy and readiness for a future career than non-Spanish speakers.