An Open Letter to All PAs: The Time Has Come for a Professional Name Change

[chiaroscuro27]

This is inspirational! I will be sure to pass this along to my fellow PA students TODAY. We will do whatever we can to help this cause.

[JFarnsworth]

I invited my Facebook friends to join. Yes We Can!

[physasst]

Like me and Bob were discussing though, all of us that signed that, you and I included Mike, risk being censured by the powers that be. I am glad I signed it, and would again in a heartbeat, but don't be surprised if there is a bit of a backlash, surprisingly, not likely from the AAPA, but I think the leadership in several state chaters (some of whom I have talked to about this in the past), will be quite reluctant to open their state's practice act.

[Joelseff]

Like me and Bob were discussing though, all of us that signed that, you and I included Mike, risk being censured by the powers that be. I am glad I signed it, and would again in a heartbeat, but don't be surprised if there is a bit of a backlash, surprisingly, not likely from the AAPA, but I think the leadership in several state chaters (some of whom I have talked to about this in the past), will be quite reluctant to open their state's practice act.

 

I am not at all versed in legal things but how would amending just the name of the profession "open up practice acts?" Can they not just state "the tile 'Physician Assistant' will now be known as 'Physician Associate'" or something t that effect. I guess I cannot see how it would change or even alter practice acts. Don't other professions change their names all the time? i.e. Med Techs to Clin Lab Scientists, Respiratory technicians to Resp Therapists, Radiation Techs to therapists and so on.

[Iain1028]

Can we get an Obama Student Loan Bailout too while we are at it?

 

Just asking....

[physasst]

Can we get an Obama Student Loan Bailout too while we are at it?

 

Just asking....

 

Actually, there was a section in the bill about cutting interest rates dramatically on student loans for PA's or MD's who choose to work in primary care for at least 10 years.

[physasst]

I am not at all versed in legal things but how would amending just the name of the profession "open up practice acts?" Can they not just state "the tile 'Physician Assistant' will now be known as 'Physician Associate'" or something t that effect. I guess I cannot see how it would change or even alter practice acts. Don't other professions change their names all the time? i.e. Med Techs to Clin Lab Scientists, Respiratory technicians to Resp Therapists, Radiation Techs to therapists and so on.

 

 

In order to change the wording, it has to be introduced as legislation, and then that opens the practice act. Cause the wording has to be changed everywhere within the practice act. It's not simple, it's not easy, and it will be VERY expensive. The risk is, that once you open the practice act, anyone can submit additional changes. While this is not likely, it is a risk you take. Physician Assistant is a legally defined term, and is protected. Physician Associate would need to be as well. I think we should do it, which is why I signed the letter. But, it is not a simple overnight process. There may be more backing on this as well from a national PA organization, but I cannot share anything more than that at this time.

 

BY all means, we need to do this, but this will take years to actually implement. So be aware.

[Iain1028]

BFD!!! I want's a real bail out, not this namby pamby drivel.....

[delco714]

andddd. our profession is in public health so well fall under this: our yearly loan payback can only be at most 10% of our taxable income and if not fully paid in 10yrs, your loan principle is dropped and thats it! yayyyy!!!

[Iain1028]

andddd. our profession is in public health so well fall under this: our yearly loan payback can only be at most 10% of our taxable income and if not fully paid in 10yrs, your loan principle is dropped and thats it! yayyyy!!!

 

This includes all PAs no matter what specialty? Yeah, sure....

[delco714]

no, just ones that can cateogize as public health. i think may e if your office does not accept medicare/aid then your disqualified.. or maybe they mean only if you work in a va hospital.. they will have to elaborate more, of course, but it was worth mentioning.

[Iain1028]

Well if America is still standing in 10 years (or even 2 more years under Obama), we'll have to see. But don't hold your breath on that one...

[CAdamsPAC]

Another excited call for professional mental masterbation to resume in earnest ,all over a freaking job title!!!!! Can anyone tell me what the phrase "form over function" has in common with this regular self flaggellation by members of this profession over a job title? If your title is so detrimental to your ability to practice , GET OUT OF THE PROFESSION and find one with a title that makes you feel better about what you do! All that really counts is that I provide the best care I can to my patients ,having held positions in which I was termed a Physician Associate in some and Physician Assistant in others the title didn't mean a dam*ed thing. It was my performance that mattered to my patients. Get a life , really!

[Iain1028]

Another excited call for professional mental masterbation to resume in earnest ,all over a freaking job title!!!!! Can anyone tell me what the phrase "form over function" has in common with this regular self flaggellation by members of this profession over a job title? If your title is so detrimental to your ability to practice , GET OUT OF THE PROFESSION and find one with a title that makes you feel better about what you do! All that really counts is that I provide the best care I can to my patients ,having held positions in which I was termed a Physician Associate in some and Physician Assistant in others the title didn't mean a dam*ed thing. It was my performance that mattered to my patients. Get a life , really!

 

 

Getting popcorn going, this is going to be good....

[physasst]

Another excited call for professional mental masterbation to resume in earnest ,all over a freaking job title!!!!! Can anyone tell me what the phrase "form over function" has in common with this regular self flaggellation by members of this profession over a job title? If your title is so detrimental to your ability to practice , GET OUT OF THE PROFESSION and find one with a title that makes you feel better about what you do! All that really counts is that I provide the best care I can to my patients ,having held positions in which I was termed a Physician Associate in some and Physician Assistant in others the title didn't mean a dam*ed thing. It was my performance that mattered to my patients. Get a life , really!

 

Well, that's fine. Don't sign the letter, and don't join the group.

 

Having been told by a congressional representative: "If you are a physician'S assistant, why the hell am I talking to you, and not your physician?" I think the title does matter, on a day to day basis, probably not so much, but in certain arena's (politics, administrative roles, etc.) a little more.

 

We all have our choices C, if you don't like this, then that is fine, it's not your bag, but other people feel otherwise.

 

Mike

[Iain1028]

Well, that's fine. Don't sign the letter, and don't join the group.

 

Having been told by a congressional representative: "If you are a physician'S assistant, why the hell am I talking to you, and not your physician?" I think the title does matter, on a day to day basis, probably not so much, but in certain arena's (politics, administrative roles, etc.) a little more.

 

We all have our choices C, if you don't like this, then that is fine, it's not your bag, but other people feel otherwise.

 

Mike

 

 

Getting more popcorn, this time with extra butter oil sauce, this is going to be good....

[CAdamsPAC]

Getting more popcorn, this time with extra butter oil sauce, this is going to be good....

 

Nothing to see here , move along. Just exchanging views no need to expend too much energy on this non-event.

[delco714]

that butter is bad for you... atherosclerosis much?

[PPGfan]

What are the real implications/risks (& from what source) in opening our Practice Act if the name change proposal gets that far??

[MCHAD]

If the practice act is opened, from what I understand (as a lowly student) a lot of the privileges ie. prescriptive rights can be modified/revoked...

[physasst]

Exactly...the nursing lobbies could decide to introduce something on to the name change bill, like PA's can't see new patients, or PA's CAN practice under the supervision of a DNP...

 

MD's could decide to pursue recisssions the practice act. etc.etc.etc.

 

NOW, keep in mind that none of that is likely, and especially not now, with the emphasis on lower cost care (YAY for us), but it is still a remote possibility.

 

Also, keep in mind that this will be REALLY expensive, each state will need to have lobbyists to convince the state legislatures to vote for it, and to watch the landscape for threats. Each state will need to find a legislator to champion the cause, and introduce the bill. And then, once it passes, all documents that legally pertain to PA practice will need to be changed.

 

This is roughly the process. I am all for it, and I have been behind it for some time, which is why, when I was asked, I immediately said, YES, I would sign it.

[CVTPA]

I have been practicing since 1992, It's about time. Sign me up, James (Marc) Emerson, JR, PA-C, Interventional/ Diagnostic Radiology, Watson Clinic, Lakeland FL

[DAVIDHAMEL]

Re-opening PA practice legislation in order to modify the title to Physician Associate may not necessarily be a bad thing. Now is the time when the value of PAs, especially as independent providers of primary care services needs to be promoted. Part of our problem is our invisibility in the public eye. We are the AMAs best kept secret. Lets get out in the open, modify our title, improve our standing in the medical community, and ultimately improve our effectiveness as medical providers.

[underserved]

Re-opening PA practice legislation in order to modify the title to Physician Associate may not necessarily be a bad thing. Now is the time when the value of PAs, especially as independent providers of primary care services needs to be promoted. Part of our problem is our invisibility in the public eye. We are the AMAs best kept secret. Lets get out in the open, modify our title, improve our standing in the medical community, and ultimately improve our effectiveness as medical providers.

Yes Sir! I concur.

[LobotomyPlzThx]

...Even my husband (a HS teacher) says our name is terrible and doesn't reflect what we do.

 

This is true. PA's are not the doctor's aide, secretary, visit scheduler, coffee maker, file organizer, or any other pejorative connotation associated with the term "assistant." Are PA responsibilities equal to doctors? Not quite, and this should still be denoted by the title. However, "assistant" can conjure up any of the above ideas, none of which are the true role of the PA. I think it's almost universally agreed in this community (even if one doesn't feel that it's worth fighting for) that the term "Physician Assistant" is too broad a term and confuses patients about the provider's qualifications. ("I don't want to see the assistant, I want to see the doctor!")

 

 

Just a side note: the nursing lobby is incredibly aggressive, possibly because they aren't under the control of the medical board. If PA organizations lobbied half as aggressively as they do, within 10 years small children will be "playing physician assistant" equal or greater in frequency than they "play doctor." (Nice AANP dogma reference there)

 

More seriously, in many other countries such as the UK, Australia, Canada, etc., the first professional degree for practice of medicine is the MBBS. (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) The MD degree there is an advanced research degree. Even though MBBS recipients don't have doctorates, they are still given the "courtesy title" of "Dr." in the clinical setting. Most of the PAs here would scoff at the idea of lobbying for a similar courtesy here and doctors and nurses would never want to see that happen. My point is that things are done very differently elsewhere--there seems to be less egotism in the medical powers that be. (Just an observation; no need to flame me for being an "unpatriotic socialist.")