Celebrate #PAweek

Celebrate #PAweek Posted By:
...

Today marks the last day of National Physician Assistant Week; let's go through the history of PAs and their recognition.

National PA Day was first celebrated on October 6, 1987, to honor the 20th anniversary of Duke University PA program's first graduating class. It also is the birthday of the founder of the profession, Eugene A. Stead, Jr., MD.

At the end of 2020, there were approximately 148,560 certified PAs in the United States. According to the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants' (NCCPA) 2020 Statistical Profile of Certified PAs, the median age for PAs is 38 years, the majority are female (69.7%), and most hold a master's degree (78.8%). Currently, there are 277 Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc (ARC-PA) accredited programs in the United States.

Timeline of Physician Assistants in History:

  • 1967
    • The first class of PAs graduates from Duke University's PA Program
  • 1968
    • The American Association of Physician Assistants (now known as American Academy of Physician Assistants [AAPA]) was established
  • 1973
    • First PA certification exam administered by the National Board of Medical Examiners
  • 1988
    • First master's degree program in PA education offered from Duke University
  • 2000
    • Mississippi becomes the 50th state to authorize PA practice
  • 2007
    • The first clinical doctorate degree (DScPA) awarded by the US Army and Baylor University to Army PAs who completed an 18-month residency in emergency medicine
  • 2021
    • The first time a PA was elected president of a university: Richard Muma, PhD, MPH, PA-C, at Wichita State University
    • Resolution passed by the AAPA House of Delegates to change the title of the PA profession to "Physician Associate"
    • The first time a PA was sent to space: On September 15, 2021, Hayley Arceneaux also became the first cancer survivor, person with artificial body parts, and youngest American to be sent to space

HAPPY #PAweek!

References

Share

Filed under: NPs & PAs

Related
BTK Inhibitors in CLL/SLL and MCL: The Latest Guidance and Evidence for the Clinic

BTK Inhibitors in CLL/SLL and MCL: The Latest Guid ...

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)/small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) and mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) a ...

Filed under: Oncology/Hematology, NPs & PAs


Continue Reading
Our Experiences With Mirvetuximab Soravtansine in Advanced Ovarian Cancer

Our Experiences With Mirvetuximab Soravtansine in ...

In this Exchange post, Sarah Hayward, PharmD, BCOP, and Amy Ly Indorf, PharmD, BCOP, discuss their p ...

Filed under: Women's Health, Oncology/Hematology, NPs & PAs


Continue Reading
Autonomy and Motivation for the Healthcare Workforce

Autonomy and Motivation for the Healthcare Workfor ...

I recently discovered the New England Journal of Medicine podcast Not Otherwise Specified. In full t ...

Filed under: Health Policy and Trends, Miscellaneous, Practice Management/Career, NPs & PAs


Continue Reading
Crohn’s Disease: My Tips on Managing Flares and Offering Preventive Care

Crohn’s Disease: My Tips on Managing Flares and ...

Crohn’s disease (CD) is a lifelong, progressive condition that affects all age groups. NPs and PAs ...

Filed under: Gastroenterology, NPs & PAs


Continue Reading
Implicit vs Explicit Bias in Healthcare: A Crash Course

Implicit vs Explicit Bias in Healthcare: A Crash C ...

We all have it—bias, that is. It affects how we interact with others and our relationships, includ ...

Filed under: Miscellaneous, Practice Management/Career, NPs & PAs


Continue Reading
Major Depressive Disorder: Assessing Response to Therapy and Helping Patients Reach Remission

Major Depressive Disorder: Assessing Response to T ...

Best Practice for Assessing Response to MDD Therapy and Helping Patients Reach RemissionAs a healthc ...

Filed under: Psychiatry, NPs & PAs


Continue Reading