Please Read if you oppose a title change to Medical Care Practitioner

[PractitionerAwesome]

Latest post on our FB page compares Dr. Eugene Stead's proposal for a profession in 1964 vs our 2020 roles and responsibilities. Unlike Nurse Practitioners, who were co-founded by a doctor and nurse, our name was given to us without input from those who would join that profession. It purposely defined us as assistants of Physicians and solely as assistants of Physicians to "perform most of the straight service functions not done by medical students and interns". Healthcare has changed, the world has changed, and we have grown as a profession to take on a new role since 1964. It's time we choose our own name that tells the public we don't just assist physicians, we practice medicine to expand the quality and access of medical care.

 
https://www.facebook.com/PAforMCP/posts/196170918715225

Edited December 4, 2020 by scotshy

[iconic]

1 hour ago, scotshy said:

Latest post on our FB page compares Dr. Eugene Stead's proposal for a profession in 1964 vs our 2020 roles and responsibilities. Unlike Nurse Practitioners, who were co-founded by a doctor and nurse, our name was given to us without input from those who would join that profession. It purposely defined us as assistants of Physicians and solely as assistants of Physicians to "perform most of the straight service functions not done by medical students and interns". Healthcare has changed, the world has changed, and we have grown as a profession to take on a new role since 1964. It's time we choose our own name that tells the public we don't just assist physicians, we practice medicine to expand the quality and access of medical care.

 
https://www.facebook.com/PAforMCP/posts/196170918715225

Oh boy, how the world has changed. If it was written today, it should have said she instead of he!

[fishishanassistaunt]

Here’s my issue with “medical care practitioner”:

Firefighters/anyone taking a two week 1st responders course, EMT basics, and paramedics are calling themselves “EMS practitioners.”

Respiratory therapists are calling themselves “respiratory care practitioners.”
 

Say what you will about how the general public supposedly receives the MCP title. However, when these other “practitioner” titles are used more often by upcoming associates degree trained healthcare workers, and they will, the public will assume “practitioner” = 2 years of education. 

[ANESMCR]

2 hours ago, fishishanassistaunt said:

Here’s my issue with “medical care practitioner”:

Firefighters/anyone taking a two week 1st responders course, EMT basics, and paramedics are calling themselves “EMS practitioners.”

Respiratory therapists are calling themselves “respiratory care practitioners.”
 

Say what you will about how the general public supposedly receives the MCP title. However, when these other “practitioner” titles are used more often by upcoming associates degree trained healthcare workers, and they will, the public will assume “practitioner” = 2 years of education. 

Emergency medical technician practitioner? Show me where you’ve seen that. 

[fishishanassistaunt]

53 minutes ago, ANESMCR said:

Emergency medical technician practitioner? Show me where you’ve seen that. 

LMGTFY

[PACali]

3 hours ago, fishishanassistaunt said:

Here’s my issue with “medical care practitioner”:

Firefighters/anyone taking a two week 1st responders course, EMT basics, and paramedics are calling themselves “EMS practitioners.”

Respiratory therapists are calling themselves “respiratory care practitioners.”
 

Say what you will about how the general public supposedly receives the MCP title. However, when these other “practitioner” titles are used more often by upcoming associates degree trained healthcare workers, and they will, the public will assume “practitioner” = 2 years of education. 

Those 2 years of education are desperately needed in California, at the same time they forgot about the PAs. We have to ask California Academy of PAs to remind California Health Corp we are just as qualify as everyone on list. If you have a patient who is truly worry about the length of education they probably won't to see a PA anyway. 

Definition of Practitioner https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/practitioner

• someone involved in a skilled job or activity
• someone whose regular work has involved a lot of training
• someone who works in a job that involves long training and high levels of skill

I just don't see how the public will automatically associate the word "Practitioner " with 2 years of education.

 

[MSPAC2]

CAPA addressed this and got PAs on that list.

[ANESMCR]

6 hours ago, fishishanassistaunt said:

LMGTFY

Wow.

[PractitionerAwesome]

On 12/22/2020 at 8:18 PM, fishishanassistaunt said:

Here’s my issue with “medical care practitioner”:

Firefighters/anyone taking a two week 1st responders course, EMT basics, and paramedics are calling themselves “EMS practitioners.”

Respiratory therapists are calling themselves “respiratory care practitioners.”
 

Say what you will about how the general public supposedly receives the MCP title. However, when these other “practitioner” titles are used more often by upcoming associates degree trained healthcare workers, and they will, the public will assume “practitioner” = 2 years of education. 

 

I think this is getting into pretty obscure territory. I was an EMT for 6 years and worked in the ED for 2. Never heard anyone refer to themselves as an "EMS Practitioner". Okay, it's mentioned on the NAEMT website to refer to EMTs and Paramedics together but I don't think it's commonplace for EMTs or Paramedics to call themselves that and I don't think the general public is reading the NAEMT website definitions in mass. EMTs call themselves EMTs and that's what the public knows them by. Paramedics call themselves Paramedics and that's what the public knows them by. They aren't pushing for a title change like we are because they don't have the same issues with the public not understanding their role like we do.

I can't speak to Respiratory therapists calling themselves Respiratory Care Practitioners. It comes up on a Google search at a few random sites but I'm not sure if that's common parlance either, but even if it was and they were in fact pushing to be named that, who cares? I'm pretty confident Nurse Practitioners couldn't care less.

The thing we are focused on is simply if the public understands that we are capable of providing care for them when they see our title in a real world context (e.g. a website or voicemail where you schedule an appointment). Medical care Practitioner was associated with higher level tasks like prescribing medications and diagnosing illnesses. Physician Assistant has a much worse issue with being associated with lower levels of training and Physician Associate doesn't seem descriptive to patients (A sales associate?) and implies PAs only exist to associate with Physicians ("I don't want to see the Physician's Associate, I want to see the Physician").

Edited December 25, 2020 by scotshy

[twinmama2]

PA for 31 years here. I continue to be very opposed to name change. It has taken all of these years for people to know what a PA is. If you change the name, it will just confuse people. I am also opposed to "Advanced Practice Provider" which many people favor. PA or Midlevel is fine with me.  I am fine with a lot of autonomy and a collaborative relationship with our MD supervisors, but am completely opposed to fully independent practice. If we wanted to be independent, we would have gone to medical school. I'm sure I will have a lot of people who do not agree with me, but the profession was created to be a supervised/collaborative position. I have worked in Medicine, Surgery, Geriatrics, and now Interventional Radiology. I make a plan with my docs for the day, I go off to CT or Fluoro to do my procedures on my own. I know my limits and when to ask for help. I know what to do for most complications. If I get a pneumothorax, I put in a chest tube and let my doc know later. If someone is bleeding a little, I put in some gelfoam and move on. If something worse happens, we call a "Doctor Stat" in our department and our team comes running to help. If I don't feel I can comfortably do a case, I ask the doc to either do it with me or to fully do it, and it works just fine. Our team model works just fine. 

There are many NPs and PAs in our hospital. There are good ones and not so great ones, it's the same in every profession. I don't agree with NPs or PAs with doctorates being called "doctor" in a health care setting. It misrepresents who they are. 

 

There, I'm sure I have pissed some people off, but it's just how I and perhaps some others feel. It's not my intention, but we are all entitled to our own opinions. 

[Cideous]

1 hour ago, twinmama2 said:

PA for 31 years here. I continue to be very opposed to name change. It has taken all of these years for people to know what a PA is. If you change the name, it will just confuse people. I am also opposed to "Advanced Practice Provider" which many people favor. PA or Midlevel is fine with me.  I am fine with a lot of autonomy and a collaborative relationship with our MD supervisors, but am completely opposed to fully independent practice. If we wanted to be independent, we would have gone to medical school. I'm sure I will have a lot of people who do not agree with me, but the profession was created to be a supervised/collaborative position. I have worked in Medicine, Surgery, Geriatrics, and now Interventional Radiology. I make a plan with my docs for the day, I go off to CT or Fluoro to do my procedures on my own. I know my limits and when to ask for help. I know what to do for most complications. If I get a pneumothorax, I put in a chest tube and let my doc know later. If someone is bleeding a little, I put in some gelfoam and move on. If something worse happens, we call a "Doctor Stat" in our department and our team comes running to help. If I don't feel I can comfortably do a case, I ask the doc to either do it with me or to fully do it, and it works just fine. Our team model works just fine. 

There are many NPs and PAs in our hospital. There are good ones and not so great ones, it's the same in every profession. I don't agree with NPs or PAs with doctorates being called "doctor" in a health care setting. It misrepresents who they are. 

 

There, I'm sure I have pissed some people off, but it's just how I and perhaps some others feel. It's not my intention, but we are all entitled to our own opinions. 

This post will not age well as our profession continues going down the toilet.  But you will be retired by them I suppose, so what do you care.

Did you even read the million dollar name change results?  Obviously you did not.  Patients ARE confused still at what we do and why we are "Assistants".  The results were the same with our doc and NP colleagues.  Confusion.  You can stay an assistant if you want, but the thousands of new PA's getting decimated in the job market by Nurse PRACTITIONERS will not look kindly on dinosaurs like you and others that refuse to change with the times.  Why? Because "back in my day!!"....

Old PA's like you are the problem.  Just retire and let the next generation of PA's at least have a shot at success.  Gawd.

Edited March 6, 2021 by Cideous

[EMEDPA]

49 minutes ago, Cideous said:

This post will not age well as our profession continues going down the toilet.  But you will be retired by them I suppose, so what do you care.

Did you even read the million dollar name change results?  Obviously you did not.  Patients ARE confused still at what we do and why we are "Assistants".  The results were the same with our doc and NP colleagues.  Confusion.  You can stay an assistant if you want, but the thousands of new PA's getting decimated in the job market by Nurse PRACTITIONERS will not look kindly on dinosaurs like you and others that refuse to change with the times.  Why? Because "back in my day!!"....

Old PA's like you are the problem.  Just retire and let the next generation of PA's at least have a shot at success.  Gawd.

I think you and I have been PAs for around the same amount of time. I graduated in 96.

Not all of the older PAs are opposed to change. Dave Mittman is a good friend of mine and a member of the old guard.

AAPA did a survey maybe 10 years ago now asking avg Americans what a PA is. Most did not know unless they had a military background. Everyone else(like 90% +) confused us with medical assistants. The name needs to go. No One knows who we are NOW so we need to do this. I have been actively involved in this process for years. I am on the 100 Leader PAs for name change document that Mittman wrote almost decade ago. I honestly don't know what the right name is. MCP works for me. I would be ok with Associate too. Just get rid of the damn assistant.

Physician Associate: A Change Whose Time Has Come

Final Statement of 100 PA Leaders*

June 2010

Our profession’s original name was physician associate. Physicians demanded that “associate” be changed on the grounds that it did not properly describe the desired scope of PA practice. Forty years later we have outgrown the "assistant" title. It no longer accurately represents the profession. It is inaccurate and confuses consumers. The title is misleading and carries negative connotations which we can and should avoid. As we move into a new model of healthcare delivery it is of the utmost importance that our profession’s name accurately describes our role.

We, the undersigned physician assistant leaders assert that the time to change the name of our profession has arrived. While we can debate much about a name change, we have all agreed to the below statements and thoughts. We also fully agree that the name change advocated below will advance the profession. We call on the leaders of the profession and all PAs to announce and start to implement this change as soon as possible. At a minimum poll the entire profession. We are leaders who believe it is increasingly unwise to wait longer to make this long-needed change. Collectively, the below-signed PAs have given much of their lives to the profession and are dedicated to its advancement.

Why We Need a Change

Our profession’s original name was physician associate. Physicians demanded that “associate” be changed on the grounds that it did not properly describe the desired scope of PA practice. Forty years later we have outgrown the “assistant” title. It no longer accurately represents the profession. It is inaccurate and confuses consumers. The title is misleading and carries negative connotations which we can and should avoid. As we move into a new model of healthcare delivery it is of the utmost importance that our profession’s name accurately describes our role. Why a Change Is Justified

Why a Change Is Justified

• The PA role is truly one of partnership; of association and collegiality. We work as associates and have for many years. Our profession’s birth-name in 1965 was physician associate.
• “Physicians assistant” is a generic term. It can mean anything: a person in the office that bills patients, a records assistant, the person that sets up and cleans the exam room, all the way to a certified, licensed PA. The profession must move from this generic name to one that aptly and more accurately describes our function.
• In our society, “assistant” denotes a technical job, not a profession.
• PAs are held to the same legal and medical standards as physicians.
• The title is confusing and misleading to our patients and the public in general. Since the name practically guarantees that “physician assistants” will be confused with “medical assistants”, patients are at risk of thinking they are receiving substandard care or expect that after the “assistant” a physician will also be seeing them. Most times this does not happen, nor does the physician or the PA expect it to happen. It is time to have the name mirror the reality that exists.
• The internationalization of PAs is important to the profession. Having to explain that the common meaning of the name “assistant” under-represents our true practice is a barrier, in international forums, to full understanding.
• The above problems also may keep prospective applicants and others away from becoming PAs as they would not want to go through extensive schooling only to become someone’s assistant.
• Almost all professions at the level of training of a PA (pharmacy, PT, OT, NP) are or soon will be at the doctorate level. Our education and practice is professional, as should be our title.
• “Assistant” obscures the PA’s true role in the practice. Physicians who might otherwise consider a PA do not hire one as they feel they need someone more than just another “assistant”.
• All professions should be able to name their profession. “Physician Assistant” both demeans and misrepresents our profession. It is time to claim the name that is both appropriate and our birthright and discard the one that was forced upon us.

The Process

• The profession, ideally through the AAPABoard or HOD, should immediately adopt a policy that states that “Hereafter the profession will work to be retitled “Physician Associate,” as it more accurately reflects the profession in the 21st century”.
• If the Board or House is reluctant to do this on their own, then the entire profession should be polled using the AAPA’s full database.
• This renaming can be done over a number of years, with the ability reserved to use either title in the interim if necessary, depending on state legislation, etc.
• The PA profession should advise organized medicine that this change is not an effort for independent practice but is a move to more accurately describe the scope and status of the profession and place it at a level where it belongs. It should also be explained that the name physician associate had been chosen for us by organized medicine to represent the PA profession 45 years ago. PAs should stress that after 45 years of delivering quality medical care across the entire spectrum of practice, we are choosing a more appropriate name and that we would expect nothing less than the full support of organized medicine, which will also benefit from the change.
• PA programs should include the name physician associate whenever possible—along with the title physician assistant if need be.
• “Physician Associate” allows us continued use of the initials “PA”, which are well-known to the public.
• “Associate” does not imply that PAs are equal to physicians. Associate professors are not full professors. Associate deans are not full deans. There are precedents for this.
• The profession should consider funding State-level efforts to effect this change.
• The argument that a change will open laws at the State level is a hollow one. This action can be introduced as a “cosmetic” name change amendment which will have no impact on PA practice law. If opposed, the profession can educate the legislature as to the source of the opposition, that we are asking for no increased privileges, and the current title is confusing consumers and others
• This name change should be done BEFORE the profession embarks upon any large public relations campaign. We can effectively brand the profession through the use of the new name, avoiding any confusion of our status when compared with medical, podiatry, chiropractic and other assistants.

Therefore, we the undersigned PAs declare that because of the above reasons and more, the PA profession should adopt the name “Physician Associate” and begin an educational campaign to other medical professionals and the public regarding Physician Associates.

1. Victor H. Germino, PA.  PA Class #1, 1965-67  Duke University Medical Center PA program. One of the founders of the PA profession.
2. Robert M. Blumm, MA, PA-C, DFAAPA, Immediate past president APSPA, Past president AASPA, Immediate past presidentACC, Past president NYSSPA, Past AAPALiaison To ACS, ACC Liaison to ACS, Past Chair Surgical Congress  AAPA, Editorial Board Advance for PAs, Clinician 1, Advanced Practice Jobs, past editorial board member Physician Assistant, Clinician News, Author, National Conference Speaker, Consultant, Paragon Award Winner Physician /PA Team, John Kirklin M.D. Award for Excellence in Surgery
3. Robin Morgenstern, PA  Past AAPASecretary, Past President Illinois Academy of PAs, past Director of the PA Program of Cook County Hospital, Chicago, Past Midwest Advertising manager Clinician Reviews Journal.
4. Maryann Ramos, MPH, PA-C, Founding President NJSSPA, Secretary of the AAPAHouse of Delegates, Delegate or Alternate for many years; Current Member, Nominating Committee; Current Legislative Chair for Physician Assistants for Latino Health – Puerto Rico; Past President American Academy of Physician Assistants in Occupational Medicine; Established Liaison between occupational physicians and PAs and Affiliate PA Membership inACOEM;  Awarded the Meritorious Civilian Performance Medal, US Army Medical Corps, 2008; Past Federal Civilian PA of the Year 2002(AAPA Veteran’s Caucus); Past PA of the Year (AAPA President’s Award 1980)
5. Blaine Carmichael, MPAS, PA-C,DFAAPA, Co-Founder Association, Past president, Vice President and current Delegate at Large of Family Practice Physician Assistants, Founder Bexar County PA Society, Founder, Que Paso – What’s Happening PAs of San Antonio, Moderator of PRIMARY PA forum, Board Member, American College of Clinicians, Founding member of PA History, Texas PA of the year, 1990, has published widely and speaks at many national, state and local PA conferences
6.  Dave Mittman, PA. Past AAPA Director, Past President NY State Society of PAs, Co-Founder and creator Clinician Reviews Journal and Clinician 1. Co-Founder ACC. First PA in the USAF Reserves.  Lifetime PA Achievement Award/President’s AwardNJSSPA and NYSSPA. Co-Author of first international article regarding PA practice in America published in the BMJ. AAPA National Public Education Award Winner-1983
7.  Stephen Henry, PA-C, RNP, Co-Founder California Academy of PAs. Two times President of CAPA.  Founding member of Veterans Caucus, Founding Member Occupational Medicine Caucus AAPA. Founding Member ACC. Years in HOD, Numerous committee Chairmanships.
8. Harvey Fine, PA-C Founding President, California Academy of Physician Assistants.
9. David M. Jones, PA-C, MPAS, DFAAPA, Member, Past Governmental Affairs Council, AAPA Legislative Co-Chair for at least 10 years, Oregon Society of PAs (Chair for the 2009 session), Past President ofOSPA (twice), AAPA Co-Rural PA of the year 1988; second term as a member of the PA Committee, Oregon Medical Board
10. Roy Cary, PA-C, DFAAPA Co-founder and past president of The American Academy of Physician Assistants in Legal Medicine. Co-founder in Cary & Associates, LLC and holds a position as Senior Partner. Mr. Cary is also a member of the Physician Assistant Advisory Committee of the Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners. Retired Air Force Major.
11. James R Piotrowski, PA-C, MS , DFAAPA , Co-founder Association of Neurosurgical Physician Assistants , Past president ofANSPA , Past Vice President and board member of FAPA , Co-founder of the FAPA-PAC , Past member Florida BOM PACommittee, Past Trustee of the AAPA PACand Chairman of the AAPA-PAC , Past PA member of the council of AANS and CNS,  Past editor of the ANSPA ’s Journal.
12. Lisa D’ Andrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS.  Internal Medicine PA, Adjunct Faculty Midwestern University, National Radio Host ReachMD XM160
13. Michael Halasy, MS, PA-C Health Policy Analyst/Researcher. Author of well known PA Blog
14.  Gary Falcetano, PA-C, Bariatric Medicine, Stockton NJ, Managing Director – Collaborative Clinical Communications,LLC. Captain (Ret.) US Army Reserve, Past Group Publisher Clinician Reviews / Emergency Medicine / Urgent Care, journals.
15.  Charles O’Leary, PA-C, Hominy Family Health Center [FQHC], 35-year practice same site; LTC [Retired] US Army/OKARNG [2 tours Afghanistan, awarded BSM/CMB]; past-OAPA Vice-President, Past OAPANewsletter Editor, 1992 Oklahoma Rural PA of Year, OU-Tulsa Medical College PA Preceptor, Past Hominy School Board President, Past Commander American Legion Post 142
16. Gerry Keenan PA-C, MMS, Emergency Medicine, AAPA Professional Practices Council, Charter member SEMPA. Charter member AFPPA. Charter member ACC.  Bar Harbor, Maine
17. Martin Morales, PA MHA. Director Physician Assistant Services, Long Island Jewish Medical Center / North Shore LIJHealth System. 
18. Stephen E. Lyons MS, PA-C,  W .Cheyenne Clinic Coordinator, Take Care 
19.  Robert Nelson, PA-C. Executive Director, Island Eye Surgicenter, LI, NY. Administrator a various surgicenters in NY metropolitan area, Author, Speaker, Director at Large-Outpatient Ophthalmic Surgery Society, Member Corporate Development Planning Committee OOSS, Consultant,   Surgical PA 30 years.
20.  Eric Holden, PA-C, MPA, EMT-P ,DFAAPA.  Practice in emergency medicine since 1987. Member of state, federal, and international disaster medical teams. Medical provider at level 1 and 2 trauma ctrs, HMOs, community E.D.s, Rural/under served E.D.s.  Provides solo E.D. coverage. Author of multiple articles in peer reviewed medical journals.
21. Rebecca Rosenberger, MMSc, PA-C, Current President AAPA- Allergy Asthma and Immunology
22. j. Michael Jones, MPAS-C,   Chair PA Section American Headache Society, Director Cascade Neurologic-Headache Clinic..
23.  Pamela Burwell, MS, PA-C. Distinguished Fellow, AAPA . Founder and Director, Peacework Medical Projects. AAPAHumanitarian of the Year. Arizona PA of the Year
24.  Eleanor H. Abel, RPAC, MS, CRC Upstate Medical University, Syracuse.  Director At Large, NYSSPA. Liaison and membership chair for NYRCA. Medical provider with 22 years of experience in Hematology/Oncology and previously employed in Surgery and also Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Specialize in pain management, advocacy for people with disabilities, Past coordinator and current assistant coordinator for the NYSSPA Public Education Committee
25. Ronald H. Grubman, PA-C  Founder, Conmed Inc., 1984.  President and CEO for 23 years. Conmed acquired and currently a public company on the NYSE.  
26. Ken Harbert, Ph.D., CHES, PA-C,DFAAPA Dean, School of Physician Assistant Studies. South College, Knoxville, TN
27. Eric Schuman, MPAS, PA-C. Adult & Pediatric Neurology Kaiser Permanente Portland, Oregon.  Adjunct Assistant Professor, Oregon Health & Science University Physician Assistant Program
28. Charles A. Moxin, MPAS, PA-C, DFAAPA, Past President Association of Family Practice Physician Assistants, Past AAPA HOD delegate for Family Practice, Past Editorial Board member for Arthritis Practitioner, Author, National Conference Speaker, Pharmaceutical Advisory Board member
29.  Kenneth E. Korber, PA PhD(c Director of Strategic Development – CE Outcomes LLC, Curriculum Architect – First PA Postgraduate Fellowship in Cardiovascular Care, Clinical Associate University of Illinois College of Medicine, Past Member Board of Directors: Association of PAs in Cardiology, Member – Association of Postgraduate PA Programs, Founder – AAPAMedical Writers Special Interest Group; former Faculty – AAPA Chapter Lecture Series. 
30. Kenneth DeBarth, RPA-C, Past PresidentNYSSPA, Past NYSSPA Newsletter Editor, Past Secretary/Treasurer South Dakota Academy of PAs, founding editor SDAPAnewsletter, past chair AAPA Professional Practices and Relations Committee, former owner Heuvelton Medical Group, NY.
31. Ryan O’Gowan, PA-C, FAPACVS. Acting Manager, NP/PA Critical Care Workgroup. Program Director Physician Assistant Residency In Critical Care Umass Memorial Healthcare 
32. Frank Rodino, PA, MHS, Past Public Education Chair AAPA, Past NYSSPAPresident. Currently President and CEOChurchill Communications: A Medical/Scientific Communications Company
33. Thomas Roselle, PA-C, DFAAPA  PastNYSSPA Consultant, PA Entrepreneur, Clinic Owner. Current Secretary, PAs in Otolaryngology Specialty Group.
34. John Sallis,  MBA, MMS, PA-C   PA consultant -Negotiation management
35. James Doody, PA-C  Director of Pediatrics and Primary Care 1st Health Centers, Assistant Clinical Professor University of Colorado Health Science Center, former Director of Pediatrics Lake Grove School, Editorial Board Member Physician Assistant Magazine, Provider liason Medical Home Initiative for State of Colorado.
36. Karen Fields, MSPAS, PA-C  Founder of Medical Mentoring (medicalmentors. net); Cofounder PAWorld.net 
37. Richard Mayer, PA.  Vice President Provider and Network Development. Lenox Hill Hospital, NY NY
38. Sharon Bahrych, PA-C, MPH, listed in Marquis’s Who’s Who of American Women, published author of 60 lay and medical journal articles, state and national CMEpresenter,co-founder of APAO, clinical trials researcher with a NIH rated grant, currently working on a PhD.
39. George Berry, MPAS, PA-C,DFAAPA. Pediatric Trauma Coordinator  Regional Pediatric Trauma Center, Schneider Children’s Hospital North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System 
40. Lisa F. Campo, MPAS, PA, DFAAPA  Past President NYSSPA. Former Chief Delegate/ delegate AAPA HOD; former Committee member Wagner College PA Program Advisory and Admission Committees; President LCFC-LLC Consulting; Advanced Clinical Physician Associate the Mount Sinai Medical Center; practicing PA 30years.
41. Kristina Marsack, PA-C, President, Association Plastic Surgery PAs, past-Treasurer, APSPA
42. John W. Bullock, PA-C, DFAAPA. 2010AAPA Federal Service PA of the Year Award Winner.  Past Chief Consultant to the US Air Force Surgeon General for Physician Assistants, Founding member and past Vice President of PAs in Orthopaedic Surgery. 
43. William Gentry, MPAS, PA-C Senior Physician Assistant-Neurology  Audie L. Murphy Veterans Medical Center
44. Harmony Johnson PA-C, MMS  Current President, PAs for Global Health
45.  Chris Hanifin, PA-C. Immediate Past President, new Jersey State Society of PAs.
46. Francis Crosby, Jr, PA-C, MPAS.  Founding member, United Kingdom Association for Physician Assistants (UKAPA); Member of Pilot Program for PA utilization in UK; Advisor to University of Wolverhampton (UK) PA Training program;AAPA; Delegate or alternate for many years, Publications award winner, 1987;  Fellow Member, Society of Air Force Physician Assistants; Past VP of SAFPA; Past Chair of Nomination Committee; Past Chair of Membership Committee; Past BOD member; Associate Member, Royal College of Physicians Edinburgh; Retired from USAFas Lt Col; Former Commander, Medical Operations Squadron.
47.  David L. Patten, PA-C,  COL, SP,TXARNG. Deputy Commander for Texas Medical Command
48. Michael France, CCRC, MPAS, PA-C, Director of Clinical Research, Alamo Medical Research, MAJ USAF Retired 
49. Robert L. Hollingsworth, DHSc, MS, PA-C.  Owner, Sole Provider Red Springs Family Medicine Clinic, N.C. Preceptor for the Physician Assistant Programs at Methodist College in Fayetteville, N.C, Duke University in Durham N.C. and East Carolina University, in Greenville, N.C. Active preceptor for several Nurse Practitioner Programs within the state. Former Instructor: Methodist College Physician Assistant Program
50. James C. Allen, IV, MPAS, PA-C,DFAAPA; Director, Physician Assistant Clinical Training Programs, University of Texas Medical Branch-Galveston/Correctional Managed Care; Former Secretary Bexar County PA Society 2003-2005; Dual Certified Aerospace Physiologist; US air Force Aerospace Physiologist of the Year 2003; Past President Towner-Shafer Society, US Air Force 1993-1994; Retired US Air Force Major
51. Michelle Ederer, MA, RPA-C  Past President, New York State Society of PAs.
52. Cindy Burghardt, MS, PA-C, Nephrology PA for Renal Associates, San Antonio, Texas.
53. Shepard B. Stone, P.A. Colonel, SP,CTARNG. Aeromedical Physician Assistant. Aviation Task Force- Currently deployed-KuwaitPhysician Associate-Yale Medical School
54. Charlene Morris, DFAAPA, MPAS, PA-C, Past President AFPPA, CME Chair SPAP, Past AAPA Liaison to AAFP, Author/Lecturer.
55. Jonathan E. Sobel, RPA-C,FAPACVS President-Association of PA’s in Cardiovascular Surgery
56. Geoffrey Hoffa, PA-C, MHS Board Member of the Arizona Regulatory Board of Physician Assistants.  First PA Associate member American Society of Transplant Surgeons. Past Chair, Public Relations Committee ASAPA, Current member of theAAPA HOD. 
57. Robert M. Chavis, PA Commander / 05USPHS/Army, Past Chairman Academy ofUSPHS Physician Assistants, Past Medical Director USMAPS, Delegate UN World Indigenous People Conference, Wolfclan Chief Nottoway/Meherrin/Tuscarora Nations,
58. Keith G. Plummer MPAS, PA-C, DFAAPADirector of Emergency Medicine, Johnston Memorial Hospital, Oklahoma
59. Joseph A Hlavin PA-C, MS Neurosurgical PA. Former President, Association of Neurosurgical Physician Assistants (ANSPA), 1998 – 2000, 2006 – 2008 AANSNeurosurgeon Editorial Board, American Association of Neurological Surgeons, 5/1/2008 – 4/30/2011.President, Brazos Valley Physician Assistant Association 1/2010 -12/2010
60. Francine Boullosa, PA-C. Past-president and past legislative co-chair Oregon Society of PAs1991-2 AAPA-Burroughs-Wellcome Health Policy Fellow.
61. Richard M. Bishow, MPAS, PA-C, Lead Physician Assistant, Inova Fairfax Hospital Emergency Department, Distinguished Fellow, AAPA, Emergency Medicine clinician for 32 years, Associate Clinical Professor of Health Care Sciences, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine, The Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Clinical Instructor of Health Care Sciences, Drexel University College of Health Profession, Paragon Award winner (1st Place) for publishing excellence.
62. Michael A. Banuchi, PA-C, MPH: Founder/Owner, PhysicianAssistantForum.Com/PhysicianAssociate.Com, Board of Advisors for National Association of Physician Assistants. Dermatology, Boca Raton, FL.
63. Edward Ranzenbach, PA-C, MPAS, FAPACVS, DFAAPA  Fellow – Association of Physician Assistants in Cardiovascular Surgery (APACVS) Leadership FellowAPACVS Fellow American Association of Surgical PAs Fellow California Academy of PAs Director-at-Large APACVS Board of Directors. Member Fellow Membership Oversight Committee APACVS MemberCME Committee APACVS, Chair – 27th Annual APACVS Winter Educational Meeting Associate Member Society of Thoracic Surgeons
64. Jose’ C. Mercado, MMS, PA-C  President- SPAO-HNS. Adult & PediatricENT Disorders.
65. Professor Steven J. Sager, MPAS, PA-C,DFAAPA Assistant Professor, Physician Assistant Department Nova Southeastern University – Ft. Lauderdale
66. Joel D. Bashore, PA-C, MPAS; LCDR,MSC, USN (Ret); PA/NP Education Coordinator, Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital Emergency Dept.; Past Vice-President Naval Association of Physician Assistants
67. Kimberly J. T. Lakhan, MPAS, PA-C,DFAAPA  Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, Facial Plastic Surgery  and APN/PA Council Chair SMDC Health Systems, Duluth, MN Distinguished Fellow AAPA, Fellow and Past Director-at-Large Minnesota Academy of PAs, Fellow SPAO-HNS
68. Larry Collins, PA-C, DFAAPA, ATC . Instructor, Department of Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, University of South Florida. USF Sports Medicine and Athletic Related Trauma Institute. United States Olympic Training Program including stints at the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta, and at the 2008 Winter World University Games in Torino, Italy. 
69. Michael C. Doll, MPAS, PA-C, DFAAPA, FAPACVS.  Chair of Quality Care Committee – AAPA. Past President –APACVS. Current Candidate for Director At Large – AAPA Director of Physician Assistants Cardiac Surgery Service Line Geisinger Health System, Danville, PA
70. Thomas White, JD, MA, PA-C, Past President TAPA, NMAPA, PA Educator.
71. Denni J. Woodmansee, PA-C.  PA Advisor to the Under Secretary for Health  U.S.Department of Veterans Affairs
72. Lisa Lanning Lowther, MS, PA-C; Assistant Professor, Medical College of Georgia PA Program; Emergency Medicine and Family Medicine PA for 10 years.
73. Carol S. James PA-C. Lead Physician Assistant. Department of Neurosurgery. The Johns Hopkins Hospital
74. Richard C. Davis , P.A.  Chief PA,RRMC. 35 years of PA practice.  Salisbury, NC
75. Matthew Andersen, PA-C, MPAS, FAPACVS Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Virginia Mason Medical Center Seattle, WA
76. Rudolph (Rudy) Balli, MPAS, PA-C ”Physician Associate” (University of Oklahoma), Captain, USAF, Retired.  Audie L. Murphy Veteran’s Memorial Hospital
77. Alex K. Harris, PhD, PA-C, Southern Cardiopulmonary Associates, PC, LaGrange, GA; ApolloMD Emergency Physicians, Atlanta
78.  Vee S. Yoong, PA-C, MS, Ph.D. Providence St. Peter Hospital. Emergency Medicine, Olympia, Washington. American Heart Association ACLS Regional Faculty/Course Director/Instructor. Advance Cardiac Life Support – (ACLS-EP) Instructor, Katrina Hurricane Relief Volunteer medical worker, American Red Cross, PA Consultant. Initial groundwork & program design for Pacific University Physician Assistant Program, Forest Grove, Oregon. 
79. Reginald L. Smith, PA-C, Past Vice-President and Past Director-at-Large Bexar County PA Society, San Antonio, Texas. 
80. David N. Pellin, PA-C, FAAPA;  Past Clinical Director Indian Health Service, Wellpinit Service Unit, Spokane Reservation, 2007 – 2010; Clinical Preceptor, University of Washington School of Medicine MEDEX Northwest, 2008 – Present University of Washington School of Medicine MEDEX Northwest, Cum Laude graduate, 2005 – 2007
81. Bob Sammartano, RPA-C  Program Director  Postgraduate Residency in Surgery for PAs Montefiore Medical Center  President Elect AASPA. Chief Delegate for Surgery –AAPA HOD
82. Lawrence Russell, P.A. Founding President, Society of Air Force PAs. Former Associate Chief of PAs, USAF. PA for 38 years. 
83. Ken Phillis MPAS PA-C. Past Board member, PAC member, and Legislative Affairs Committee of the Texas Academy of PAs Retired, United States Army.
84.  Glen E. Combs, MA, PA-C Former President of the AAPA. NCAPA Board Member-Chapter President. ’73 Graduate – AB College
85. Cheryl E. Gregorio, PA-C, MPAS, DFAAPA; PAragon winner Federal Services PA of the Year and Veteran’s Caucus PA of the Year ; 28 years practice;  Degree as a Physician Associate, OU.
86. Jackson R. Dobbins, Colonel, USAF, Ret (2009) Med College of GA Class of ‘78 Fellowship, Montefiore Med Cntr, NYC– Emer Med /79-80. 1st AF PA on operational support flying status, AFSOC(Graduate of Flight Surgeon/APA School, Ft. Rucker 1997). 1st PA as Combined Special Operations Task Force Surgeon Operation DESERT THUNDER. 1st PA as Medical Group Commander inUSAF. Legion of Merit, Bronze Star (OIF),MSM x 6, JSCM, AFAM.  AAPA, SAFPA, SOMA (Spec Ops Med Association), Montefiore Alumni Association
87. Jo Ann Cutler Friedrich, P.A.-C Stanford University, 1976 – Author of The Pre-Menstrual Solution, Arrow Press, Inc. 1987 and Sleep Matters, Bright Books, 1995. Over 350 national and regional TV and radio programs,  Published in USA Today and the Chicago Tribune. 
88. Steven Engelberg, PA-C, PhD. University Medical Center, Las Vegas, NV Dept. of Emergency Medicine. VP / Founder National Association of Physician Assistants, Past President Nevada Academy of Physician Assistants. Assistant Professor, Touro University, NV
89. Herve Poulard, PA-C Medical Attache’. US Embassy Santo Domingo
90. Brian R. Bea, APA-C, MPAS. Aeromedical P.A. LTC, Oregon Army National Guard. 16 Years experience in Family and Emergency Medicine
91. Terry Mathews, Lt Col, USAF, BSC, PA-C1.  Pres-Elect, Society of AF PAs. 1998AMSUS PA Award winner  1998 SAFPAWheaton Award winner  2005 Air Mobility Command PA of Year
92. Ellen Britt, PA, EdD. Online Marketing Expert and Consultant and Co-founder of MarketingQi.com. Ellen specialized in Emergency Medicine/Urgent Care and Occupational Medicine for more that two decades and is a graduate of one of the first speciality PA training programs in the country, the Robert Wood Johnson Emergency Medicine Postgraduate Program at Maine Medical Center, Portland. She lives and works near Atlanta, Georgia.
93. Jennifer Moore, PA-C  Past AAPA Board Member. Past President NYSSPA. !975 Graduate of Stony Brook Physician Associate Program.
94.  Ed Friedmann, PA  AAPA Past President. Past Chair, Iowa PA Regulatory Board. Federally Certified Rural Health Clinic PA for many years.
95. Jefferey Nicholson, PhD, PA-C, DFAAPA. President American Academy of PAs in Legal Medicine, Board Member, Wisconsin Academy of PAs,
96.  James Taft, MPAS, PA-C.  JAAPA Board Member,  CHSC Member and QCC Member
97. George (Rick) Hillegas, PAC, MPH. Ist PA Class GW University. AAPA Health Policy Fellow 1992, Retired US Coast Guard PA.
98. Bud Shelton, PA-C Past President North Carolina Academy of PAs. Graduate Duke University Physician Associate Program. 30 years Pulmonary Medicine, Ambulatory Surgery 15 years , Durham NC.
99. Glen Sikes, PA-C  SUNY Stony Brook, 1977 Former Director of Surgery, Lower Florida Keys Health System, Key West Florida. 33 years combined ER/OR experience. Presently in primary care in rural North Carolina.
100. Ernest W. Edmonds, PA-C, MPAS. SAFPA President – 1983-84. SAFPA Secretary / Treasurer 1985 – 1993(?), Program Director,USAF PA Program 1988 – 1991.  Clinic Director, VA Outpatient Clinic (Contract) 1995 – current

 

[ventana]

4 hours ago, twinmama2 said:

PA for 31 years here. I continue to be very opposed to name change. It has taken all of these years for people to know what a PA is. If you change the name, it will just confuse people. I am also opposed to "Advanced Practice Provider" which many people favor. PA or Midlevel is fine with me.  I am fine with a lot of autonomy and a collaborative relationship with our MD supervisors, but am completely opposed to fully independent practice. If we wanted to be independent, we would have gone to medical school. I'm sure I will have a lot of people who do not agree with me, but the profession was created to be a supervised/collaborative position. I have worked in Medicine, Surgery, Geriatrics, and now Interventional Radiology. I make a plan with my docs for the day, I go off to CT or Fluoro to do my procedures on my own. I know my limits and when to ask for help. I know what to do for most complications. If I get a pneumothorax, I put in a chest tube and let my doc know later. If someone is bleeding a little, I put in some gelfoam and move on. If something worse happens, we call a "Doctor Stat" in our department and our team comes running to help. If I don't feel I can comfortably do a case, I ask the doc to either do it with me or to fully do it, and it works just fine. Our team model works just fine. 

There are many NPs and PAs in our hospital. There are good ones and not so great ones, it's the same in every profession. I don't agree with NPs or PAs with doctorates being called "doctor" in a health care setting. It misrepresents who they are. 

 

There, I'm sure I have pissed some people off, but it's just how I and perhaps some others feel. It's not my intention, but we are all entitled to our own opinions. 

you didn't piss me off

I feel bad for you that after 30 years of practice you have totally missed what is truly going on in out profession.  we are held back every single day by our name, and you suggest 'midlevel' is fine.  Do you have a different set of lower standards (mid versus high) then the doc's?  do you hold yourself to the same standards as the docs?  Do you realize PAs were left out of HiTech funds due to our name?  Only our name......

 

 

I am sorry that you are not able to think outside your own bubble to realize where this amazing profession is headed if we do not get it together.......  we need name change and OTP now.  We are the ONLY dependent practitioner in the the whole country (if not world) that I am aware of.  We have an entirely different profession controlling ours.  We are foolish to think this serves our needs well.  As for the  "you should have gone to medical school if you wanted to be a doc/independent"   UGH I just see a total lack of understanding of the professional solidarity that is needed in todays day and age. Total lack of comprehension so our current economic, political setting.  So far gone that a simple post on PA forum is not anything that can change your mind...... so sorry......

[PACali]

10 hours ago, EMEDPA said:

I think you and I have been PAs for around the same amount of time. I graduated in 96.

Not all of the older PAs are opposed to change. Dave Mittman is a good friend of mine and a member of the old guard.

AAPA did a survey maybe 10 years ago now asking avg Americans what a PA is. Most did not know unless they had a military background. Everyone else(like 90% +) confused us with medical assistants. The name needs to go. No One knows who we are NOW so we need to do this. I have been actively involved in this process for years. I am on the 100 Leader PAs for name change document that Mittman wrote almost decade ago. I honestly don't know what the right name is. MCP works for me. I would be ok with Associate too. Just get rid of the damn assistant.

 

 

EMEDPA, I remember this letter and I thought we had a good chance of changing it because the momentum was so strong. But here we are,  10 year anniversary of the 100 leaders letter and still talking about title change. It is pathetic. We have to change this time, doesn't matter if you support associate or MCP, assistant has to go! I don't want to be talking about this again! Because we will, if we don't change it this time. 

[PACali]

7 hours ago, ventana said:

you didn't piss me off

I feel bad for you that after 30 years of practice you have totally missed what is truly going on in out profession.  we are held back every single day by our name, and you suggest 'midlevel' is fine.  Do you have a different set of lower standards (mid versus high) then the doc's?  do you hold yourself to the same standards as the docs?  Do you realize PAs were left out of HiTech funds due to our name?  Only our name......

 

 

I am sorry that you are not able to think outside your own bubble to realize where this amazing profession is headed if we do not get it together.......  we need name change and OTP now.  We are the ONLY dependent practitioner in the the whole country (if not world) that I am aware of.  We have an entirely different profession controlling ours.  We are foolish to think this serves our needs well.  As for the  "you should have gone to medical school if you wanted to be a doc/independent"   UGH I just see a total lack of understanding of the professional solidarity that is needed in todays day and age. Total lack of comprehension so our current economic, political setting.  So far gone that a simple post on PA forum is not anything that can change your mind...... so sorry......

don't feed the troll. I stop reading at "midlevel."

[iconic]

This is sad, watching how nothing has changed in 10 years. Maybe NPs will have some pity on us new grads and let us join their ranks, and let those who wish to stay assistants fade away on their sinking ship. No other profession has done so much to undermine itself and been so scared to stand on its own feet 

Edited March 7, 2021 by iconic

[ANESMCR]

Agree this is just sad. I read the post above in awe, not mad, more so disappointed. This type of mentality is not only what’s wrong with the PA profession, but the world over. 

[Pac30]

1 hour ago, mccabe11 said:

MCP is a horrible title

Thank you for the carefully thought out response. What would you suggest for the title?

[TheFatMan]

2 hours ago, mccabe11 said:

MCP is a horrible title

Well, I'm convinced.

[PractitionerAwesome]

Glad the poster above has had a great 31 year career, but I don't think they're paying attention if they think we can do the same thing we've done the past 31 years to survive in the next 31 years.  I'm sure they've learned a great deal about medicine in that time, but it seems they have no concept of how economics or markets work. PAs can argue with each other all they want about what they want to be. It doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is what the market demands. You can support your profession in adjusting to meet that demand or stand in the way of change and screw those who aren't as insulated from the market demand or near retirement as you. It seems like the latter is the norm too often.

Edited March 8, 2021 by PractitionerAwesome

[UGoLong]

Let's not get slaughtered in the trenches while we take even more time to figure out what the best path up the hill might be.

I think most PAs agree that it's time for a change. Any new title will seem weird until it gets used a lot. We spent the money and ended up with MCP, which seems as good as anything else. We practice medicine but we are not "physicians." We work with docs but we are not "assistants" or "associates." Getting both "physician" and "assistant" out of our name seem like good steps in gaining some independence and the right to set our own destiny.

Up the hill, ladies and gentlemen

[deltawave]

I talk to PAs daily in practice and at first they are like, ew. 
 

When I dive in and start explaining and rationalizing they are all aboard. 
 

MCP makes sense. Bottom line. 

[PACali]

1 hour ago, deltawave said:

I talk to PAs daily in practice and at first they are like, ew. 
 

When I dive in and start explaining and rationalizing they are all aboard. 
 

MCP makes sense. Bottom line. 

Watch this Amazon Care commercial and count how many times they said the word care lol.

Medical Care Practitioner makes sense to average people, there is no doubt about it.

[sas5814]

On 3/6/2021 at 9:57 AM, twinmama2 said:

If we wanted to be independent, we would have gone to medical school.

Sorry but this is a paper tiger and has nothing to do with the current efforts being made. While there are a few people who talk about independence. There is nothing in the title change or OTP that says or implies independence. I am really weary of this particular trope and mostly I see it from physicians as a tool to distract from the truth and inspire anger.

[GetMeOuttaThisMess]

Wow, some folks like titles I see.  I want my name added to the list:

GMOTM, PA-C, Old retired geezer

How’s that for a title of accomplishments?