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Not allowed to use PA title?


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I recently moved to Illinois and am waiting on the state to process my license. So at the moment, I have graduated from PA school and passed the PANCE but do not have my state license yet. I found out through the IAPA that I am legally not able to call myself a PA until I have my state license. Specifically, "it is unlawful to use the title of "Physician Assistant" unless he or she is a qualified holder of license issued by the department as provided in the PA Practice Act (225, ILCS 95/10).

 

So my question is, what am I supposed to tell my patients? Right now I'm working as basically a glorified MA until my license is processed.  Saying I'm not a PA seems silly when I graduated from PA school and passed the PANCE. To verify, I am mainly just support staff until my license processes but I'm hoping it gets issued soon. Is this normal in other states as well?

 

Just wondering if anyone else has any insights or thoughts on this.

 

 

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Are they paying you as a PA while waiting for your license to process?

 

"Hi, I'm 'medicosmith'.  I've graduated from PA scool and passed my boards, but am waiting on my state license" seems to meet the spirit and letter of the law (you really AREN'T a PA until licensed) with a minimum amount of  (note that I didn't say "no") awkward verbiage.

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They are paying me as staff while waiting on my license. So, yes - it's my salary minus call and extra clinics that I will eventually have. I'm not seeing patients alone and making decisions/orders. Learning their EMR and how they do things at the moment.

 

I'm often introduced as the "new PA" at the office. I wasn't sure how to address it as the NCCPA has me listed as PA-C.

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Some titles are legally protected like physician.  You're state appears to legally protect Physician Assistant and without a state license you are not one.  You cannot legally present yourself to patients as a PA and then act like a PA which could be confusing if you are acting like an MA and patients aren't going to know the differences. 

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