andersenpa Posted October 6, 2011 Share Posted October 6, 2011 On Oct 6 1967 the first class of PAs graduated from Duke. Now 44 yrs later and the PA profession continues to thrive. The number of PAs entering the workforce grows each year. Our practice scope has grown as well. While there is still much to be done, we should all enjoy the fact that we PAs are part of nothing less than a revolution in health care. Along with NPs, we have redefined the model of what is necessary to create a competent, autonomous clinician. For those who haven't, take a few minutes to browse the PA History website http://www.pahx.org/index.htm Happy PA Day/Week.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FSUnoles Posted October 6, 2011 Share Posted October 6, 2011 A big group was in the today Show audience this morning Sent from my HTC Glacier using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andersenpa Posted October 6, 2011 Author Share Posted October 6, 2011 A big group was in the today Show audience this morning Sent from my HTC Glacier using Tapatalk cool if anyone has a video link, post it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medic25 Posted October 6, 2011 Share Posted October 6, 2011 cool if anyone has a video link, post it! You'll be happy to hear Andersen that Stony Brook was front and center, including the faculty. I've got a few pictures from Facebook; I'll see if I can post them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andersenpa Posted October 6, 2011 Author Share Posted October 6, 2011 Cool SB represent! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted October 6, 2011 Moderator Share Posted October 6, 2011 Thanks- I posted a few pa day posters at work. they are available free for download from the bill at pa world site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator ventana Posted October 6, 2011 Moderator Share Posted October 6, 2011 A big group was in the today Show audience this morning Sent from my HTC Glacier using Tapatalk I got an email invite from AAPA asking to do this - all I can say is this is the stupidest lamest dumbest thing that a national agency has every put forward as a way to further our profession - it was something that single person could have done and I for one am very disappointed in the AAPA for such a lame approach to PA week - why not have a whole segement on one of the morning shows about PA's and what we do instead of showing up enmass (unannounced) to "hope" to get on TV...... Overall it is a cool little thing but it is so far below what AAPA should be doing for national advocacy it is laughable and borderling insulting to PA's that pay their annual membership fee. I know AAPA has ehlped me a lot in the past and I will continue to be a member but come on.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andersenpa Posted October 6, 2011 Author Share Posted October 6, 2011 Thanks- I posted a few pa day posters at work. they are available free for download from the bill at pa world site. We ordered the AAPA banners and used them this yr again We also had our medical photography team shoot some pics of PAs in different depts (surgery, OP med, GI) at the bedside/in the OR etc and made posters for display in the medical center. We also got the hospital to post a "news item" on the hospital intranet. Easy stuff that anyone could do.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted October 7, 2011 Moderator Share Posted October 7, 2011 my posters were the only indication in any of the facilities I work at that pa day exists.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medic25 Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 Here's the link to see the PA's at 30 Rock today (not sure if you need facebook account to access them all) http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150862228210078.759029.28068665077&type=3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andersenpa Posted October 7, 2011 Author Share Posted October 7, 2011 In the foreground are Peter Kuemmel (in lab coat) and Paul Lombardo (black jacket). Paul is PD at Stony Brook and Peter is faculty and NYSSPA president. Peter was my clinical faculty advisor and a great guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afuturepa Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 We rented a bus and sent the entire first year student body and faculty. It was sooooooooooo much fun!!!!!!!!! And I don't think undermines the profession, I think it shows how strong we are! And we there not in the hopes of getting on TV, but to show pride in the profession. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lingeringmind Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 I was about a year out of school (1986) and the PR director of the hospital called me asking for ideas about how to celebrate "PA Day." I'd never heard of "PA Day" and frankly, the whole idea seemed abhorrent to me. I was the second PA (the first didn't last more than a few months) hired into a large University based Emergency Department. I'd been working quite hard to develop as broad & deep a fund of knowledge as possible. I attended every grand rounds, contributed to M&M, Journal Club and volunteered for as many hard assignments as possible. The residents, fellows & attendings were not used to working with a PA. Some had never heard of a PA, others had passing knowledge of PAs but no experience. The realpolitik was clear, for PAs to be accepted, we had to be perceived as an integral part of the medical model, not separate and sub-equal. A unique "Day" celebrating the profession seemed like nauseating narcissism. For the profession to prosper, prosperity would best come by quiet professionalism, willingness to persevere, demonstration of prudent & safe practice, caring & a dedication to the under-served; not by an ostentatious barrage of "look at me - look at me - look how good & wonderful I am." I asked the PR person if there was a "Doctor's Day?" He was stymied by the question. I didn't give him time to answer and said if there was no "Doctor's Day" then I had no interest in a "PA Day." I still have no interest. We do our profession good by being those quite professionals known for reliably getting the job done. Our fame and renown are won by our deeds, not by self congratulatory, narcissistic festivals. Just my $0.02 Cheers, kt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andersenpa Posted October 7, 2011 Author Share Posted October 7, 2011 I would hope that our advocacy can come as a combination of reliable, competent practice and signature events such as PA day. The reason (IMO) why there is no "doctor's day" is that they are a deeply entrenched profession which is high up on the social ladder. Take nursing- greater in numbers and lobby power than PAs, and even they universally known- and we still celebrate national nurses week. I see your point but as a still lesser known, lesser understood profession, we are not in a position to rest on our laurels. We NEED public awareness. Physicians don't. We are part of the medical team model, but we also as a profession need to consider ourselves as a separate entity. Since I became a PA 10 yrs ago the AAPA has endorsed a "one patient at a time" PR campaign. No push for a national media buzz about what we are and do. And while there are certainly many patients and general public who know PAs, we should be further along than we are. In my own life outside work, whenever I say I am a PA, >50% people have no idea what I am talking about. We can do better than that, and singular national events like PA Day/Week help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lingeringmind Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 @andersenpa: The thing that bothers me is the ham-fisted way this whole PA Day/Week has been handled. I was PA faculty years ago and the students were whipped up in a "pep rally" dither and I'm not sure what it served. I agree that we are still not on the general public's radar screen, but AAPA surely has the funds to engage a top PR firm to change that. Have they? Without disclosing my professional identification, I ask people what they think of "all this PA Week stuff" and invariably I get a "ho-hum" response. We can do better. kt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deborah212 Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 Thanks- I posted a few pa day posters at work. they are available free for download from the bill at pa world site. Can you paste the direct link? I tried going to the site but couldn't find them (so much going on!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andersenpa Posted October 10, 2011 Author Share Posted October 10, 2011 @andersenpa: The thing that bothers me is the ham-fisted way this whole PA Day/Week has been handled. I was PA faculty years ago and the students were whipped up in a "pep rally" dither and I'm not sure what it served. I agree that we are still not on the general public's radar screen, but AAPA surely has the funds to engage a top PR firm to change that. Have they? Without disclosing my professional identification, I ask people what they think of "all this PA Week stuff" and invariably I get a "ho-hum" response. We can do better.kt I'm guessing the pep rally feel was meant to create the idea for the students that there is some sense of national cohesiveness to the profession and how we are presented to the public. It may seem manufactured, but it serves a purpose for budding PAs. The AAPA does have the funds, lat time I saw the numbers. Their response has always been that there are other priorities. Add this to the list of issues supported by rank and file PAs but ignored/disregarded by the AAPA. I imagine that the ho-hum response to PA week (from the lay public AND fellow PAs) is understood. The public doesn't know who we are; PAs probably feel like they have very little to celebrate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andersenpa Posted October 10, 2011 Author Share Posted October 10, 2011 As usual, the AAPA site is not so easy to navigate: http://www.aapa.org/events/pa_week/resources.aspx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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