{"id":{"repo_id":"gsu","oai_identifier":"oai:digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu:etd-1389"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/gsu/oai:digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu:etd-1389","repository":{"repo_id":"gsu","name":"Georgia Southern University","base_url":"https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/do/oai/"},"display":{"title":"Self-Efficacy and First-Generation Students in a Physician Assistant Program","abstract":"Purpose: The purpose of this mixed method study was to determine if a relationship existed between self-efficacy scores and a final program course grade for first-generation graduate professional college students (FGS) and non-first-generation graduate professional college students (NFGS) in a physician assistant program. In addition, the researcher sought to explore the perceptions of first-generation graduate professional program students regarding experiences, contributors, and successful strategies relative to self-efficacy as related to completion of their degree program. Method: This mixed method study examined the experiences of 59 physician assistant students from Georgia Health Sciences University (formerly known as the Medical College of Georgia) by using the Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE), originally developed by Schwarzer and Jerusalem in 1981, and a demographic questionnaire which was designed by the researcher. Results from the two instruments were evaluated using bivariate correlations and descriptive statistics. The researcher also utilized chi-square and t-test for quantitative analyses. Second, the researcher developed a list of interview questions which expanded upon the study's research questions in order to explore the perceptions of first-generation graduate professional students regarding experiences, contributors, and successful strategies relative to self-efficacy as related to completing their degree program. Major Findings: Based on the quantitative findings of this study, it was not determined if self-efficacy has a significant influence on a final Anatomy course grade based on generation status. In addition, the researcher concluded that the group comparison between FGS and NFGS did not show a significant difference when comparing group Anatomy scores or self-efficacy scores. The qualitative phase revealed three common themes regarding self-efficacy in a physician assistant program: (a) mastery experiences, (b) family support, and (c) self-confidence.","abstract_html":"Purpose: The purpose of this mixed method study was to determine if a relationship existed between self-efficacy scores and a final program course grade for first-generation graduate professional college students (FGS) and non-first-generation graduate professional college students (NFGS) in a physician assistant program. In addition, the researcher sought to explore the perceptions of first-generation graduate professional program students regarding experiences, contributors, and successful strategies relative to self-efficacy as related to completion of their degree program. Method: This mixed method study examined the experiences of 59 physician assistant students from Georgia Health Sciences University (formerly known as the Medical College of Georgia) by using the Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE), originally developed by Schwarzer and Jerusalem in 1981, and a demographic questionnaire which was designed by the researcher. Results from the two instruments were evaluated using bivariate correlations and descriptive statistics. The researcher also utilized chi-square and t-test for quantitative analyses. Second, the researcher developed a list of interview questions which expanded upon the study's research questions in order to explore the perceptions of first-generation graduate professional students regarding experiences, contributors, and successful strategies relative to self-efficacy as related to completing their degree program. Major Findings: Based on the quantitative findings of this study, it was not determined if self-efficacy has a significant influence on a final Anatomy course grade based on generation status. In addition, the researcher concluded that the group comparison between FGS and NFGS did not show a significant difference when comparing group Anatomy scores or self-efficacy scores. The qualitative phase revealed three common themes regarding self-efficacy in a physician assistant program: (a) mastery experiences, (b) family support, and (c) self-confidence.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Stallings, Judith B."],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Education in Education Administration (Ed.D.)","degree_level":"Dissertation (open access)","degree_discipline":"Department of Leadership, Technology, and Human Development","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Meca Williams-Johnson","James Green"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2011,"date_issued":"2011-12-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2011-12-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:26:46Z","subjects":["ETD","First-generation","Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale","Graduate student","Non-first-generation","Physician assistant","Professional","Self-efficacy"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/389","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Meca Williams-Johnson","James Green"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Stallings, Judith B."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2013-10-17T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Department of Leadership, Technology, and Human Development"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation (open access)"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Education in Education Administration (Ed.D.)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["ETD","First-generation","Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale","Graduate student","Non-first-generation","Physician assistant","Professional","Self-efficacy"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/389"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Purpose: The purpose of this mixed method study was to determine if a relationship existed between self-efficacy scores and a final program course grade for first-generation graduate professional college students (FGS) and non-first-generation graduate professional college students (NFGS) in a physician assistant program. In addition, the researcher sought to explore the perceptions of first-generation graduate professional program students regarding experiences, contributors, and successful strategies relative to self-efficacy as related to completion of their degree program. Method: This mixed method study examined the experiences of 59 physician assistant students from Georgia Health Sciences University (formerly known as the Medical College of Georgia) by using the Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE), originally developed by Schwarzer and Jerusalem in 1981, and a demographic questionnaire which was designed by the researcher. Results from the two instruments were evaluated using bivariate correlations and descriptive statistics. The researcher also utilized chi-square and t-test for quantitative analyses. Second, the researcher developed a list of interview questions which expanded upon the study's research questions in order to explore the perceptions of first-generation graduate professional students regarding experiences, contributors, and successful strategies relative to self-efficacy as related to completing their degree program. Major Findings: Based on the quantitative findings of this study, it was not determined if self-efficacy has a significant influence on a final Anatomy course grade based on generation status. In addition, the researcher concluded that the group comparison between FGS and NFGS did not show a significant difference when comparing group Anatomy scores or self-efficacy scores. The qualitative phase revealed three common themes regarding self-efficacy in a physician assistant program: (a) mastery experiences, (b) family support, and (c) self-confidence."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Self-Efficacy and First-Generation Students in a Physician Assistant Program"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Meca Williams-Johnson","James Green"],"dc:creator":["Stallings, Judith B."],"dc:date.available":["2013-10-17T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Purpose: The purpose of this mixed method study was to determine if a relationship existed between self-efficacy scores and a final program course grade for first-generation graduate professional college students (FGS) and non-first-generation graduate professional college students (NFGS) in a physician assistant program. In addition, the researcher sought to explore the perceptions of first-generation graduate professional program students regarding experiences, contributors, and successful strategies relative to self-efficacy as related to completion of their degree program. Method: This mixed method study examined the experiences of 59 physician assistant students from Georgia Health Sciences University (formerly known as the Medical College of Georgia) by using the Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE), originally developed by Schwarzer and Jerusalem in 1981, and a demographic questionnaire which was designed by the researcher. Results from the two instruments were evaluated using bivariate correlations and descriptive statistics. The researcher also utilized chi-square and t-test for quantitative analyses. Second, the researcher developed a list of interview questions which expanded upon the study's research questions in order to explore the perceptions of first-generation graduate professional students regarding experiences, contributors, and successful strategies relative to self-efficacy as related to completing their degree program. Major Findings: Based on the quantitative findings of this study, it was not determined if self-efficacy has a significant influence on a final Anatomy course grade based on generation status. In addition, the researcher concluded that the group comparison between FGS and NFGS did not show a significant difference when comparing group Anatomy scores or self-efficacy scores. The qualitative phase revealed three common themes regarding self-efficacy in a physician assistant program: (a) mastery experiences, (b) family support, and (c) self-confidence."],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/389"],"dc:subject":["ETD","First-generation","Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale","Graduate student","Non-first-generation","Physician assistant","Professional","Self-efficacy"],"dc:title":["Self-Efficacy and First-Generation Students in a Physician Assistant Program"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Department of Leadership, Technology, and Human Development"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation (open access)"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Education in Education Administration (Ed.D.)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:26:46Z"}