Wellness and Preventing Burnout of Physician Assistant Faculty

Nationally, the PA faculty attrition rate is 9-10% annually and replacement of a lost APC faculty member costs the University of Utah system approximately $250,000. This financial loss hardly covers the loss of historical and institutional knowledge, effect on students and effect on the greater community in the academic division when a faculty member leaves. The most common reasons for PA faculty to leave their positions include role conflict and a perception in lack of the following: institutional support, recognition by administration, support for scholarly work, fair promotion process, a sense of institutional community and support of the PA program by administration. Identifying and intervening on PA faculty burnout can have a positive impact on job satisfaction, wellness and retention of PA faculty.