Pennsylvania Society of Physician Assistants

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Pennsylvania Society of Physician Assistants

Member Login Join or Renew
  • Home
  • About
    • Our Purpose
    • Officer Directory
    • Officer’s Responsibilities
      • President
      • President Elect
      • Immediate Past President
      • Treasurer
      • Secretary
      • Directors at Large
      • Student Directors at Large
  • News
    • Blog
    • Newsletters
    • PSPA News Brief
  • Contact
  • Why PSPA
    • Overview
    • For Practicing PAs
    • For Students
    • For Employers
  • Membership
    • Reasons to Join PSPA
    • Join PSPA
    • Membership Levels
    • Benefits of Membership
      • Insurance Benefits
    • Member Directory
    • Renew Membership
    • Keystone Cash
    • Gift Memberships
  • Career Center
    • Overview
    • Job Seekers
      • Find a Job
      • Interviewing Tips
      • Pre-Employment Checklist
      • Anatomy of a Contract
      • New Graduate Info Sheet
      • Obtaining State License
      • Employment Exit Checklist
    • Employers/Recruiters
      • Employer Career Center
      • How to Find a PA
      • Benefits of Hiring a PA
      • Reimbursement for Services
      • Advertising and Fees
    • Resources
      • Salary and Demographics
      • Physician PA Team
      • Summary of PA Regulations
      • Amending Hospital Bylaws
      • Research Grant
  • Student Affairs
    • Overview
    • Potential Students
    • Active Students
    • Graduating Students
    • Pennsylvania PA Programs
    • Challenge Bowl
      • General Info/Rules
      • Challenge Bowl FAQs
    • Student Leader Philanthropic Endowment
    • Student Awards/Scholarships
      • Nathaniel Alston Student Achievement Scholarship Award
      • Thomas J. Lemley Award for Health Disparities Competition
    • Links
  • Advocacy
    • Overview
    • Governmental Affairs
      • Action Center
      • State Boards of Medicine and Osteopathic Medicine
      • Online Written Agreement Information
      • Regulatory Activity
      • Legislative Activity
      • Political Action Committee
      • About PSPA PAC
      • Tools
      • SBM Regulations**
      • SBOM Regulations**
      • Archives
    • Workplace
      • Leadership
      • PSPA Annual Awards
        • How it Works
        • Fellow Awards
        • PSPA Award Winners
    • Community
      • Health Disparities
      • Annual Charity
      • 10 Ways to Make a Difference
    • Committees
      • Committee Information
      • Committee Annual Reports
      • AAPA House Delegates
      • Awards Committee
      • Conference Planning Committee
      • Election Committee
      • Finance Committee
      • Governmental Affairs Committee
      • Health Disparities Committee
      • Historian
      • Leadership & Mentoring Committee
      • Membership Committee
      • Newsletter Committee
      • PSPA Liaison
      • Public Relations & Education Committee
      • Regional Affairs Committee
      • Reimbursement Committee
      • Social Media
      • Standing Rules & Policy Committee
      • Student & Faculty Affairs Committee
      • Technology Committee
      • Website Committee
    • Public Relations
      • Spread the Word
      • Addressing Specific Audiences
      • Concepts to Convey
      • Publications & Products
      • Resources
  • Events & CME
    • Calendar
    • Annual Conference
      • 2023 CME Conference Rates & Registration
      • General Information
      • Schedule
      • Thank you to our 2022 speakers!
      • Hotel Information
      • CME Workshops
      • Professional Sessions
      • Current Exhibitors
      • Special Events
      • Conference Faculty
      • Committee Interest Form
      • Exhibitor and Sponsor Information
      • Speaker Application
      • Future Conference Locations
      • Posting of Conference Lectures
    • CME Miniseries
    • CME Announcements
    • Deadlines
    • Regional Affairs
      • Map of Regions
      • Get Involved
      • Regional Representatives
      • Meeting Information
    • Courses
  • Resources
    • Professional Organizations / Liaisons
    • AAPA Links
    • Helpful Links
    • Reimbursement
      • Reimbursement
      • Medicaid
      • Workers Compensation
      • Private Payers
    • Form Library
    • Prescription Drug Card
    • Surveys
Advocacy

Resources

Demographics

AAPA Salary Survey Results for 2018

AAPA Salary Survey Results for 2021


PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT DEFINITION

The physician assistant (PA) is a unique health care provider who is licensed by the State Board of Medicine or certified by the State Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners. The Boards approve physician assistants who are of good character and reputation, have graduated from a physician assistant training program certified by the Board, and have passed a national certifying examination by the Board

The PA is neither a physician nor a physician trainee, e.g., resident, intern, or medical student
At the direction of a supervising physician and as his employee, the PA provides medical services and other tasks as allowed by law

The physician assistant augments the physician’s data gathering abilities in order to assist the supervising physician in reaching and instituting care plans for the physician’s patients

Tasks performed by physician assistants include screening patients to determine the need for medical attention, reviewing patient records to determine health status, taking a patient history, performing a physical examination, recording patient data, making decisions regarding data gathering and appropriate management and treatment of patients being seen for the initial evaluation or the follow-up evaluation of a previously diagnosed and stabilized condition, preparing patient summaries, initiating requests for commonly performed initial laboratory studies, collecting specimens, identifying findings and abnormal findings on history, physical examinations and lab studies, initiating evaluation and emergency management for emergency situations, performing numerous clinical procedures, and providing counseling and instruction regarding common patient problems. Each supervising physician designates in writing how the physician assistant will provide assistance

Patients have the right to be seen by the physician instead of the PA. If this is your wish, please inform the office personnel

Please direct any questions, comments, or concerns about physician assistants to the doctor

Reviewed by Pennsylvania Medical Board Legal Counsel and Pennsylvania Society of Physician Assistants Legal Counsel

View this in a printable format


HOW THE PROFESSION BEGAN

In the mid 1960’s, physicians and educators recognized there was a shortage and uneven distribution of primary care physicians. To expand the delivery of quality medical care, Dr. Eugene Stead of the Duke University Medical Center in North Carolina put together the first class of PAs in 1965. He selected Navy corpsmen who received considerable medical training during their military service and during the war in Vietnam but who had no comparable civilian employment. He based the curriculum of the PA program part on his knowledge of the fast track training of doctors during World War II

Physician Assistant History Center

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