The aim of this study is to investigate Physician assistant (PA) students’ perceptions of technology integration with a focus on Augmented Reality (AR), exploring the differences in attitudes based on gender and socio-environmental factors. Several previous studies have explored the use of AR in healthcare education among medical and nursing students. We seek to expand on the existing conversation by examining PA students’ engagement with technology in general and AR in particular. This focus will allow us to increase our understanding of AR’s potential within Physician Assistant education as well as contribute to a broader understanding of how students from different healthcare fields are prepared to engage with AR in their learning environments. We argue that the implications of this study could enhance interprofessional education (IPE) and teamwork.

The study addresses several key questions: How do PA students' attitudes towards AR and technology differ based on their gender and socio-environmental context? What are PA students' beliefs about the usefulness of AR in education, and how do these beliefs relate to their socio-environmental context? How does technology-related anxiety or dependence vary among PA students across different socio-environmental contexts?

Using the first level of Kirkpatrick’s Evaluation Model—Reaction—this research explores how students perceive and respond to AR technology. We argue that by understanding their initial reactions, beliefs, and anxieties related to technology, we can identify factors that influence their engagement and willingness to adopt AR in both discipline-specific and interprofessional education. In addition, by comparing these findings with existing research on medical and nursing students, this study identifies common barriers and opportunities for guiding customization, and tailoring implementation to suit diverse student needs in interprofessional learning environments.

The results of the study offer valuable insights into how PA students’ gender and socio-environmental contexts shape their attitudes, beliefs about AR's usefulness, and levels of technology-related anxiety, ultimately informing strategies for effective AR implementation in both discipline specific and interprofessional healthcare education.

Keywords: Augmented Reality, Healthcare, Physician Assistants, Kirkpatrick Model.