Amelia PA Blog

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/05/scientists-create-first-self-replicating-synthetic-life/

Emailed letter from Robert Blumm
“Dear PA:
At the present moment almost every PA in the nation will receive information on an issue that many feel strongly about and feel that it is incumbent of our leadership to address. We recently wrote a position paper on changing our name to Physician Associate. I will attach this to my e-mail since I am only addressing a few hundred PAs. Many on this list have strong feelings about leadership and when an issue such as this surfaces to the magnitude that it will, leaders need to step up to the plate and make a comment. The new slate of AAPA leaders will be faced with taking the “company stance” which was once fairly valid but ceases to be so, they can stand up and be counted for change or can say nothing. Leaders should never say nothing!

I request that you contact those that are running for AAPA office and if you have not yet voted, ask these leaders to explain where they stand. this will be a wholesome move for the profession. I am not asking anyone to vote based upon the opinion of the leader but to vote for leaders who are not afraid to make a statement that its members are crying out to hear.

Please contact your AAPA leadership and request a response from the individuals. This will not become an issue until the 2011 HOD unless every state cries out for action and every specialty group has a vision for the needful change.BTW, there is a new group on Facebook that is named Physician Associate and rose spontaneously and independent of our paper. they have over 450 members already. The wind is blowing, set your sails!

Warmly,
Bob Blumm
Robert M. Blumm, MA, PA-C, DFAAPA
National Consultant PA/NP Services”

A Physician Assistant is someone who has pursued a professional track of medical education – usually a Bachelor’s degree with core science and math requirements followed by a Physician Assistant degree.  The length of education can vary from 4-6 years in total.  The Physician Assistant degree entails a didactic section followed by rotations (internships) in many areas of Medicine and Surgery. It culminates in the PA student taking a National Board exam (PANCE – Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam). After passing the PANCE, the student becomes certified and can apply for a PA license within their state in order to become a practicing provider. PAs must complete 100 hours of CME (continuing medical education) every two years and must re-certify with the Board exam every five years.

The profession has it’s roots from military medics when they returned from the Vietnam War; they started a PA program at Duke University under Dr. Eugene Stead.  These pioneer PAs were able to take didactic courses to add to their field experience. The first class graduated from Duke University in the mid 1960s.

Today there are probably close to 80,000 practicing Physician Assistants and 149 PA programs nationwide.  You will find Physician Assistants seeing patients in the Emergency Room, doing procedures such as suturing and casting and in the  Operating Room assisting in cardiac surgeries to brain surgeries . You will find Physician Assistants seeing you in a Family Practice setting to a specialty field like Dermatology, Plastic Surgery or Otolaryngology.  Most Physician Assistants attain hands on training with a mentor at their job.  They function under the legal supervision of an MD.  Many are autonomous and examine and treat patients within their scope daily.

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