Changing the professional title of Physician Assistants (***POLL***)

[DarcyJ]

Could you please be more specific on what the passing of title change means? Does this mean they're hiring an outside consultant? Or...? 

[cinntsp]

I would be ok with physician associate, but I'd much rather shake things up a bit.  Let's rebrand ourselves from scratch.  Medical Practitioner works for me. 

[sas5814]

7 hours ago, NJPL1213 said:

Was the attempted language change to OTP intended to take on a more conservative approach or benefit the movement for change?

Opinions will vary but in my opinion some subtle changes were proposed to the language of OTP that would, again, tie us specifically to a physician or physicians and it was done to try and mollify physician groups which it wouldn't do.That is antithetical to the intent of OTP. So OTP remains unchanged from the language that was passed last year.

 

[sas5814]

6 hours ago, DarcyJ said:

Could you please be more specific on what the passing of title change means? Does this mean they're hiring an outside consultant? Or...? 

exactly. We are going to hire an outside consultant or consultants to research what the best choice of name would be. 

[Joelseff]

WOW! I cant believe title change is getting traction! I just hope it's not another 2010 deal where we get our hopes up then wa..wa...wa...waaaa....

[DarcyJ]

1 hour ago, sas5814 said:

exactly. We are going to hire an outside consultant or consultants to research what the best choice of name would be. 

Awesome. Thanks for explaining. 

[Dr. Pepper]

I'm partial to "Practitioner Advanced", so I can still be a PA. It recognizes our advanced training, while also leaving room at the top of the food chain for physicians to be the "expert" level. It fits in with established proficiency scales. 

Not a huge fan of physician associate, but I could live with it. I think it is better to not have physician in the name. As stated by others in this thread, differentiating ourselves from physicians in name is a good way to demonstrate that the two occupations are separate career paths.

I like most of reasoning in this thread favoring Medical Practitioner, but I wouldn't be thrilled to be call myself an MP.  When I think MP I think military police. But who knows, maybe that won't really bother me for long.

[corpsman89]

5 hours ago, Dr. Pepper said:

I'm partial to "Practitioner Advanced", so I can still be a PA. It recognizes our advanced training, while also leaving room at the top of the food chain for physicians to be the "expert" level. It fits in with established proficiency scales. 

Not a huge fan of physician associate, but I could live with it. I think it is better to not have physician in the name. As stated by others in this thread, differentiating ourselves from physicians in name is a good way to demonstrate that the two occupations are separate career paths.

I like most of reasoning in this thread favoring Medical Practitioner, but I wouldn't be thrilled to be call myself an MP.  When I think MP I think military police. But who knows, maybe that won't really bother me for long.

The thing I keep saying is that we wouldn't address ourselves as "MPs." We would address our selves as Medical Practitioners. As PAs we are so used to just saying the acronym due to our embarrassment over our full title, that we forget that we can actually call ourselves by our actual title. 

Besides, I think <3% served in the military, and MP is ONLY a military thing so it really shouldn't be much of a factor. 

Practitioner Advanced doesn't even make any sense in the English language. I really don't understand the push for keeping the initials. Honestly, we want people to notice this change, it needs to be a big deal, and keeping the initials is flying under the radar. Moving to Medical Practitioner would not go unnoticed, and would entice major conversation, discussion, and debate, which is where we prove that we are absolutely qualified to practice medicine, and to show our advantages over our NP counterparts. 

[sas5814]

Just so Camo. But we live in the bubble, too close and too passionate, so making this decision for ourselves without outside advice probably isn't a smart move.Something like not treating your own family because there is too much emotion involved.

I am anxiously waiting to see how things progress with the consultant company whomever that turns out to be. This year OTP dominated the conversation. Next year the results of the consultant will be the genesis of the debate on title change that will lead to one.

[kittryn]

You might also want to add, "Medical Provider". It's not there but has a nice ring to it.

(I still, however, prefer "Physican Associate". It best describes our profession in all its scope and level/s of responsibility).

[kittryn]

"Physician Associate" is best. It removes the dreaded and down-pulling "Assistant", upgrades the perception of our role and responsibilities, and, most of all, keeps us as "PAs".

[honestabe401]

I like "Medical Practitioner" quite a bit.  It shows the provider is trained to practice medicine, without the possibility of getting confused for a Physician.  

Not to mention MP is similar to NP, which in terms of law, and general awareness of the public, is a good thing.

[JWB77]

If we adopted the "Medical Practitioner" title, would we introduce ourselves as "Hi, I'm Practitioner Smith"? I think it makes sense and would make life a little easier.

If we adopted the "Medical Practitioner" title, do you think we would get resistance from the nursing lobby?

[EMEDPA]

10 minutes ago, JWB77 said:

If we adopted the "Medical Practitioner" title, do you think we would get resistance from the nursing lobby?

count on it.

[PACali]

1 hour ago, JWB77 said:

If we adopted the "Medical Practitioner" title, would we introduce ourselves as "Hi, I'm Practitioner Smith"? I think it makes sense and would make life a little easier.

If we adopted the "Medical Practitioner" title, do you think we would get resistance from the nursing lobby?

We will always get resistance whenever we are advancing the profession. But if we don't advance, we will disappear. 

[JWB77]

30 minutes ago, PACali said:

We will always get resistance whenever we are advancing the profession. But if we don't advance, we will disappear. 

Agreed.

I'd rather fight the nurses than the physicians.  

[sas5814]

I'd rather they fought each other while we did whatever we want.

[8404PA]

what about paraphysician? In my groups that has the highest favor. most of the people I hang with do not like MP, I hate it a little 

[corpsman89]

2 hours ago, JWB77 said:

Agreed.

I'd rather fight the nurses than the physicians.  

Don't underestimate nurses. Even the physician groups are not strong enough to contain the legislative might of the nursing lobby. 

[corpsman89]

15 minutes ago, 8404PA said:

what about paraphysician? In my groups that has the highest favor. most of the people I hang with do not like MP, I hate it a little 

This was discussed several posts back. 

para anything basically implies that we aren't professional, just "almost-professionals."

Medical Practitioner is sort of a tough pill to swallow. At first it sounds foreign and unusual, but if you really think about what it means, it makes perfect sense, and describes us very well. It fits nicely in the hierarchy as well, and allows us to capitalize on what makes us different from NP's (Medical model), and what makes us an advantage over MD's (quicker to be seen, sort of thing). 

 

[8404PA]

2 minutes ago, corpsman89 said:

This was discussed several posts back. 

para anything basically implies that we aren't professional, just "almost-professionals."

Medical Practitioner is sort of a tough pill to swallow. At first it sounds foreign and unusual, but if you really think about what it means, it makes perfect sense, and describes us very well. It fits nicely in the hierarchy as well, and allows us to capitalize on what makes us different from NP's (Medical model), and what makes us an advantage over MD's (quicker to be seen, sort of thing). 

 

Sold, gotcha. I wouldn't like MP simply because it sounds too close to NP and every older person in the ER is going to think I said NP and presume im a Nurse. Even saying MP on the phone my DO buddy thought I said NP several times. I like the premise of MP but not the real world application per say. 

[corpsman89]

10 minutes ago, 8404PA said:

Sold, gotcha. I wouldn't like MP simply because it sounds too close to NP and every older person in the ER is going to think I said NP and presume im a Nurse. Even saying MP on the phone my DO buddy thought I said NP several times. I like the premise of MP but not the real world application per say. 

Please, let go of "MP." Erase it from your memory!

As PAs we are so used to just saying "PA." That is even what AAPA says: "Just say PA."

If we would adopt an accurate title like Medical practitioner, we would NOT say MP, we would say "Medical Practitioner."

Hi, My name is Corpsman89, I am a Medical Practitioner, now tell me how long you've had that rash?

[PACali]

4 hours ago, 8404PA said:

Sold, gotcha. I wouldn't like MP simply because it sounds too close to NP and every older person in the ER is going to think I said NP and presume im a Nurse. Even saying MP on the phone my DO buddy thought I said NP several times. I like the premise of MP but not the real world application per say. 

I know it is a small sample size, but the two NPs I work with always introduce themselves as "Nurse Practitioner" in person or on the Phone. Rarely, in health care, people introduce themselves with only their professional acronym. I heard occasional "RN" (like one or two times) very rare in my experience. 

I guarantee your DO buddy never introduce himself as " Hi I am DO John Doe." 

 

[KpsPac]

On 5/14/2018 at 8:42 PM, Hope2PA said:

I think General Practitioner may fit family med, but it would not necessarily suit a surgical or pediatric etc provider.

GP is a great choice that I had not thought of, and even considered it.... until I read the rest of your sentence. Good point! With that being said, we are all trained as a generalist, and then specialized.....much like physicians when the choose Fellowships. 

I am just happy that the HOD passed Resolution B-14 to hire an outside company who can see a 360 view of what is best for OUR profession. 

 

 

[corpsman89]

Bump.