So Medical Care Practitioner was recommended by the AAPA study, what now?

[Cideous]

What exactly is on the agenda for the next step to change our name?

Edited January 1, 2021 by Cideous

[iconic]

So it's my understanding HOD is going to vote on the new name change at next conference in May (which let's be realistic COVID is not going away by then - so are they going to postpone it again to November?). And the thinking is that PAs should be discussing the results of the survey. Well, I work in an organization with 30+ PAs and no one has even heard about the survey or is interested in discussing it when you bring it up.

Edited January 1, 2021 by iconic

[Cideous]

May...you're kidding me right?

[PractitionerAwesome]

There will likely be a resolution of some sort in favor of taking a next step for Medical Care Practitioner and also likely a resolution of some sort in favor of taking a next step for Physician Associate at the May HOD.

We're about 6 weeks in from when Medical care Practitioner started to be talked about (simultaneously with other giant news like a vaccine roll out). Compare that to at least a decade for Physician Associate. Physician Associate had a giant head start and is less of a step outside of people's comfort zone, but the good news is we have logic and data on our side and are steadily growing and convincing people who supported Physician Associate to support Medical care Practitioner when explained why it's a better choice.

We're up to 425 likes and 520 follows at https://facebook.com/PAforMCP in 4 weeks with just a couple of us spreading the message about it. I've had about 50 AAPA members reach out to me directly to tell me to remain persistent advocating for this move and they are seeing people's minds changing too. I don't think it's a matter of if, but when.

Our next step is going to be reaching out to delegates which we will need a lot of help with so if anyone was willing to join the AAPA and help us make a lasting difference. Now is the time. PM me if you're reading this and would be willing to get more involved. This only happens if people are willing to work for it.

Edited January 1, 2021 by scotshy

[Mayamom]

I've reached to a few colleagues that are PA and none of them even heard of the possibility of a  name change.  Pretty bad I'd say.  

[sas5814]

14 hours ago, Mayamom said:

I've reached to a few colleagues that are PA and none of them even heard of the possibility of a  name change.  Pretty bad I'd say.  

I have a very simple answer..... if you are blissfully unaware and uninvolved then you get what the people doing the work give you. No bitching and whining after the fact because you were living in a happy little bubble when things happened.

I know it sounds mercenary but I'm weary of people who coast along enjoying the benefits of other people's work and then pop out of the toaster when something happens that actually affects them in a way they don't like.

It early, I'm on my first cuppa, and 10 days into a 35 day run. My kindness needle is currently on "E".

[MediMike]

1 hour ago, sas5814 said:

"then pop out of the toaster when something happens that actually affects them in a way they don't like."

Hilarious.

[PACali]

4 hours ago, sas5814 said:

I have a very simple answer..... if you are blissfully unaware and uninvolved then you get what the people doing the work give you. No bitching and whining after the fact because you were living in a happy little bubble when things happened.

I know it sounds mercenary but I'm weary of people who coast along enjoying the benefits of other people's work and then pop out of the toaster when something happens that actually affects them in a way they don't like.

It early, I'm on my first cuppa, and 10 days into a 35 day run. My kindness needle is currently on "E".

This is the exact conversation I had with my PA buddy. 

me: Do you support the title change? 

my buddy: No, I think we are wasting our time, it is going to cost so much money. I am more concerned with becoming more independent nationally, we should do abcdefxy and z...blahblahblah. He went on and complaint and listed everything we should do. 

me: yeah for sure! Are you a member of AAPA or state organization? 

my buddy: No, what have they done for me???

 

[GetMeOuttaThisMess]

1 hour ago, PACali said:

 my buddy: No, what have they done for me???

Gotta admit, this was my thought process as well.  Finally gave up on TAPA the last year, and I wasn’t even the one paying the dues.  AAPA?  Gave up on AAPA decades ago.  I gave you the funds.  Sorry, I just didn’t see much return on my investment.  Bottom line, my opinion no longer matters.

[Cideous]

2 hours ago, GetMeOuttaThisMess said:

Gotta admit, this was my thought process as well.  Finally gave up on TAPA the last year, and I wasn’t even the one paying the dues.  AAPA?  Gave up on AAPA decades ago.  I gave you the funds.  Sorry, I just didn’t see much return on my investment.  Bottom line, my opinion no longer matters.

This perfectly describes me.

[GetMeOuttaThisMess]

When I got attitude (female TAPA President) for following up on a simple question after a week of waiting, having contacted them only TWICE in over thirty years, that was the final straw.  My thought was if this is how a dues paying member over several decades who is asking for a simple rule clarification is treated then they didn’t need my employer’s money any longer.

Edited January 3, 2021 by GetMeOuttaThisMess

[PACali]

1 hour ago, GetMeOuttaThisMess said:

When I got attitude (female TAPA President) for following up on a simple question after a week of waiting, having contacted them only TWICE in over thirty years, that was the final straw.  My thought was if this is how a dues paying member over several decades who is asking for a simple rule clarification is treated then they didn’t need my employer’s money any longer.

At least you tried to make a difference. 

Here is the story of my other PA buddy, Buddy B (also not a member of any PA organization) 

me: Hey you support title change? 

Buddy B: I have no clue 

me: Can you just spend 2 minutes send an email to the HOD say you support title change to MCP? 

Buddy B: This is good for the profession? 

Me: Yes

Buddy B: Sure

My buddy B has helped the profession by sending multiple emails to lawmakers in the past, even he is not a member of any PA organization. I actually have quite of few friends like this, they usually have no clue what is happening but I really appreciate their effort. 

On the other hand my buddy A,  always has A LOT to say but never send an email when I ask him to. I doubt he has done anything, not even complaining in forums to bring awareness. I just find it very funny.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[MedicinePower]

What now?

We reject it and fight this awful name.

[PractitionerAwesome]

8 hours ago, MedicinePower said:

What now?

We reject it and fight this awful name.

What do you feel is so awful about it? It better helps non-healthcare people understand what modern day PAs do and is more future proof...isn't that our goal?

Edited January 3, 2021 by scotshy

[Cideous]

9 hours ago, MedicinePower said:

What now?

We reject it and fight this awful name.

And leave "assistant" or change to "associate"?  I hope you have your school loans paid off.

[ventana]

12 hours ago, MedicinePower said:

What now?

We reject it and fight this awful name.

 

 

This is the issue at hand

 

A HUGE world wide highly respected PR firm studied this and says MCP is the best name

 

In medicine this is the equivalent of  having NIH sponsor a true randomized double blinded study with 100,000's of thousands of patients with an N of 0.00000001 and saying you do like the conclusion so you decide to disregard it....... totally illogical and only shows limited (and likely overstated) intelligence in the political PR realm.  Might be a GREAT PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT but in 10-25 years when we are just a faint memory you can hang your head low and realize you did not acknowledge the experts and it cost you a profession....

 

 

Sorry to be so harsh, but this is the PR world and we must get on board - rather you like MCP or not it is 100000% better then assistant and if you look at the long term we must assume our rightful spot at the organized medicine table and be respected by the politicians and the system as much as we are respected by our patients.  And not this patient respect DOES NOT transfer over to political gain and protection.....  

 

 

[PACali]

29 minutes ago, ventana said:

 

 

This is the issue at hand

 

A HUGE world wide highly respected PR firm studied this and says MCP is the best name

 

In medicine this is the equivalent of  having NIH sponsor a true randomized double blinded study with 100,000's of thousands of patients with an N of 0.00000001 and saying you do like the conclusion so you decide to disregard it....... totally illogical and only shows limited (and likely overstated) intelligence in the political PR realm.  Might be a GREAT PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT but in 10-25 years when we are just a faint memory you can hang your head low and realize you did not acknowledge the experts and it cost you a profession....

 

 

Sorry to be so harsh, but this is the PR world and we must get on board - rather you like MCP or not it is 100000% better then assistant and if you look at the long term we must assume our rightful spot at the organized medicine table and be respected by the politicians and the system as much as we are respected by our patients.  And not this patient respect DOES NOT transfer over to political gain and protection.....  

 

 

Here are some of the reasons I've heard from the people who support Physician Associate 

1. It keeps the acronym 

2. Everyone knows what a PA is 

3. Physician Associate shows we value team base practice 

4. I don't like the word "Care" in MCP 

5. I don't want to sound like nurse practitioner

My answers: 

1. It keeps the acronym 

Let's get rid of it. PA are acronym obsessed. We are an acronym profession because we are afraid say we are assistant. Acronym should be avoided in the medical world to avoid medical error anyway, especially when dealing with patients. 

2. Everyone knows what a PA is 

NO

3. Physician Associate shows we value team base practice 

You could still be part of the team or doctor's assistant or even doctor's personal chauffeur even as MCP. 

4. I don't like the word "Care" in MCP 

don't say it. Just say Medical Practitioner. Do you hear DO, introduced themselves as Doctor of Osteopathic everytime when they see a patient? 

5. I don't want to sound like nurse practitioner

No, it does not. 

 

 

[EMEDPA]

Agree with above. I previously was a big fan of associate(and wouldn't cry if that was the final decision), but for a number of reasons as you mention above MP or MCP makes more sense. The only folks who know what a PA is are ex-military. The vast majority of Americans have no idea what a PA is , which surprised almost no one when the AAPA did a survey a few years ago and the most common answer was that a PA was a medical assistant who helped doctors take VS, etc. 

[PACali]

16 hours ago, EMEDPA said:

Agree with above. I previously was a big fan of associate(and wouldn't cry if that was the final decision), but for a number of reasons as you mention above MP or MCP makes more sense. The only folks who know what a PA is are ex-military. The vast majority of Americans have no idea what a PA is , which surprised almost no one when the AAPA did a survey a few years ago and the most common answer was that a PA was a medical assistant who helped doctors take VS, etc. 

I am in the same boat, I wouldn't cry if a prominent branding company with a revenue of 17 billion dollars telling me Physician Associate is a better title. 

I think the only pro-associate reason for that I could understand is "Physician Associate shows we value team base practice." 

But I found many problems with that statement. We don't need physician in our title to show we value team base practice. Plus, a team (at least in my setting ER) consist of nurses, EMT, pharmacist...etc. 

On top of that, "physician organizations" do not value us as their team member. Recent news : Utah Medical Association and Physician Communities "concerned" about OTP bill- claim PAs are not safe

Here is the response from Utah PA academy https://utahapa.mypanetwork.com/physician-assistant-news/1109-official-statement-12-29-20

 

We don't want to use other profession to define us. As long as we are "somebody's something" people will never understand who we are.