Gamification in Physician Assistant Education: A Systematic Review of Engagement, Retention, and Skill Acquisition

Authors

• Kevin Z. Richardson, University of LynchburgFollow

Specialty

Academia

Abstract

Physician assistant (PA) education requires instructional strategies that sustain engagement while supporting academic performance and preparation for clinical practice. This review synthesizes evidence on gamification in PA education and, where PA-specific research is limited, in related health professions education. Across the literature, gamified instruction is most consistently associated with greater engagement, satisfaction, motivation, and short-term academic performance when it aligns with learning objectives, provides rapid feedback, and supports active, case-based, or collaborative learning. Gamification may also improve confidence and selected knowledge or skill outcomes, but competitive formats alone do not consistently strengthen learning or intrinsic motivation. The evidence is constrained by variation in study design, intervention structure, learner population, outcome measurement, and assessment timing. PA-specific studies and long-term measures of retention, clinical reasoning, and skill transfer remain scarce. Gamification is therefore best viewed as a thoughtfully designed adjunct to traditional instruction, with more rigorous PA-focused research needed to determine which approaches produce durable outcomes in authentic training environments.

Recommended Citation

Richardson KZ. Gamification in Physician Assistant Education: A Systematic Review of Engagement, Retention, and Skill Acquisition. University of Lynchburg Doctoral Project Assignment Repository. 2026; 8(2).