October 2008 - Posts

PAs and Campaign 2008
October 31, 2008 11:27 AM by Michael Gerchufsky

With just a few days left before Election Day, have you been wondering whether the PA profession trends red or blue? A check of the Huffington Post’s FundRace 2008 shows that based on nationwide contributions to presidential candidates, dollar for dollar, Read More...

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Physician Assistants in Canada: A 'New Breed' With An Old Name
October 29, 2008 2:50 PM by Stephen Cornell

The Kingston Whig Standard newspaper touts Canadian physician assistants as " a new breed of health professional ." Two long-term care facilities, one in the downtown, the other in Kingston's west end, have gone from rags to riches in the last few months, Read More...

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Fellowship Supports PA Research
October 29, 2008 2:11 PM by Stephen Cornell

In the Oct. 30 issue of AAPA News is an interesting article about the 10th anniversary of the PA Foundation's Breitman-Dorn research fellowship . When the PA Foundation (PAF) announced the establishment of the Jerald A. Breitman & Stephen J. Dorn Read More...

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Still More New Physician Assistant Programs
October 27, 2008 5:17 PM by Stephen Cornell

Two universities are creating brand new physician assistant programs. The University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pa., and Kaiser University in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., are developing physician assistant programs. There are currently 142 entry-level PA Read More...

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Society of Physician Assistants in Hallway Medicine (SPAHM)
October 27, 2008 3:00 PM by Stephen Cornell

Hard to believe this is health care in the United States. It reads like a goof piece from The Onion . It may not sound like ideal health care, but hospital officials nationwide are being urged to consider hallway medicine as a way to ease emergency department Read More...

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A Physician Story About Dr. Stead
October 24, 2008 10:58 AM by Stephen Cornell

From ADVANCE for Physician Assistants editor Michael Gerchufsky: MIAMI—Here in Miami at the inaugural Aesthetic Extender Symposium ( http://www.aestheticextendersymposium.com/ ) , I just got a rare treat: I heard a story involving Dr. Eugene Stead that Read More...

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Pediatrics Physician Assistant on TV
October 23, 2008 5:04 PM by Stephen Cornell

Pediatrics PA Patrick Killeen talked about screening newborns for metabolic and genetic disorders on a Maine television station. The video clip is in the upper right corner. Link Read More...

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Profile of Capt. Karyn Manges, PA-C
October 22, 2008 2:55 PM by Stephen Cornell

PA Karyn Manges is one of the U.S. Army's top marksmen and is currently serving in Baghdad. The article and photo are courtesy of the military's Digital Video and Imagery Distribution System. By Sgt. David Hodge 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Read More...

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Physician Assistants to the Rescue!
October 21, 2008 10:11 AM by Stephen Cornell

Indiana radio station WCSI likes PAs. (Network Indiana) - There is a growing shortage of family physicians and now record numbers of Baby Boomers are entering retirement age, placing additional strains on the system. However, coming to the aid of America's Read More...

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Federal Government Updates Physician Assistant Standard
October 17, 2008 3:14 PM by Stephen Cornell

Good news from the AAPA's PAs Vote for a Health America: Vote 2008 update. After many years – 38, to be exact – the Office of Personnel Management has updated the qualification standard for PAs who want to work for the federal government. The apostrophe Read More...

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Indiana Physician Assistant Named a 'Health Care Hero'
October 17, 2008 10:55 AM by Stephen Cornell

The Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly honored physician assistant Brian Laursen as one of its Health Care Heroes. Brian Laursen has six primary employers in the health-care field and often works 60 hours a week serving the Fort Wayne community. It is Read More...

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PA Quoted in Glamour as Mental Health Expert
October 17, 2008 9:44 AM by Terri Schaefer

I’ve written before about PAs featured in women’s consumer magazines, but it’s always been for something like a makeover or a contest. So I was happy to notice a PA quoted for his expertise in Glamour . The November issue includes an interesting story Read More...

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'Your Doctor Can Be a Nurse, and Will Be a Nurse'
October 16, 2008 1:15 PM by Stephen Cornell

ADVANCE for NPs associate editor Jennifer Ford attended the first-ever doctorate of nursing practice conference in Memphis last week and blogged about it here . There still seems to be a lot of disagreement and confusion about the move to the DNP. This Read More...

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Air Force Physician Assistant Promotions
October 16, 2008 11:21 AM by Stephen Cornell

Twenty-six Air Force physician assistants recently received promotions, according to the Society of Air Force PAs newsletter. Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel were: Pamela A. Lucas Terry R. Mathews Brian E. Moore James W. Pank Promoted to Major were: James Read More...

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Comments on ARC-PA's Standards
October 15, 2008 11:47 AM by Stephen Cornell

On the topic of ARC-PA’s standards for PA programs, I have two questions. One, why does a PA program director need to be a PA or a physician? It certainly should be a consideration, but not a requirement. At least two terrific PA educators were not PAs: Read More...

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PA Forum Milestones
October 15, 2008 10:23 AM by Stephen Cornell

The online Physician Assistant Forum is over 15,000 members and 150,000 posts. Very impressive. Link Read More...

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An ARC-PA Invitation to Physician Assistants
October 15, 2008 9:39 AM by Stephen Cornell

The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant invites PAs to suggest changes to the accreditation standards for entry-level PA education programs. The ARC-PA is soliciting comments on the standards as part of its regular Read More...

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A Final PA Week Article
October 14, 2008 2:14 PM by Stephen Cornell

Just wanted to note this Physician Assistant Week article from the 66th Medical Group. 10/7/2008 - HANSCOM AFB, Mass. -- National Physician Assistants Week is Oct. 6 to 12. The 66th Medical Group recognizes the PAs on its own team, Col. Randy Dobbins, Read More...

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PA Bill Hunt Named EVP/COO of Large Health Care System
October 14, 2008 12:54 PM by Stephen Cornell

Physician assistant Bill Hunt has been named executive vice president and chief operating officer of Catholic Healthcare West, which is the eighth-largest hospital system in the United States. Bill Hunt has served in several leadership roles at CHW since Read More...

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North Carolina PA Profile
October 14, 2008 10:49 AM by Stephen Cornell

The New Bern (N.C.) Sun Journal profiled PA Charlene Morris . STONEWALL - Lots of people cross the 50-year milestone of life and look back in regret at things they never got around to doing when they were young - exciting, daring fun stuff like riding Read More...

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Considering the Physician Assistant Entry-Level Doctorate
October 13, 2008 6:40 PM by Stephen Cornell

The Physician Assistant Education Association and the American Academy of Physician Assistants have partnered to look at the issue of entry-level doctorate degrees for the PA profession. The following is from PAEA president Dana Sayre-Stanhope's 2008 Read More...

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Social Networking
October 10, 2008 2:15 PM by Stephen Cornell

PAs and NPs interested in networking now have available the Clinician 1 Web site. This site is only for health care professionals. You work hard enough each day. Connecting with your colleagues and the information you need to excel should be easy. Health Read More...

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Change in Washington
October 10, 2008 11:31 AM by Stephen Cornell

Well, change in Alexandria anyway. The massive reorganization of the American Academy of Physician Assistants continues. The AAPA has already hired a slew of new staff members in the last seven months and currently has 10 job openings on its Web site. Read More...

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Now This is a Good PA Week Story!
October 10, 2008 9:47 AM by Stephen Cornell

Maine Gov. John Baldacci officially honored the University of New England physician assistant program this week in a ceremony at his office. PORTLAND/BIDDEFORD, Maine -- In recognition of National Physician Assistant Week, and because physician assistants Read More...

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Physician Assistants Practice Medicine
October 9, 2008 11:51 AM by Stephen Cornell

The Oklahoman interviewed physician assistant Aaron Head for PA Week. Aaron Head has seen all kinds of patients in all kinds of places in the past 11 years. He’s worked on everything from emergency cases to regular check-ups to geriatric care, and now Read More...

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Tinian PA Treats Long-Distance Swimmer
October 8, 2008 5:32 PM by Stephen Cornell

There's a fascinating story on the Tinian Times blog this week. PA Terri Clawson practices on Tinian, an island in the Northern Mariana Islands. Earlier this week, Terri treated 70-year-old U.S. Navy veteran Jim Bell after he completed a 26-hour solo Read More...

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Resource for Hospitalist PAs
October 8, 2008 12:44 PM by Stephen Cornell

The Society of Hospital Medicine has created an online resource center for PAs and NPs in hospital medicine. Link Read More...

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Physician Assistant Salaries Rise in 2008
October 7, 2008 12:11 PM by Stephen Cornell

The mean total annual income (MTI) for full-time PAs in clinical practice is $89,987, according to the results of the 2008 AAPA census. That’s an increase of 4.4% from 2007’s mean of $86,214. Below is the mean total annual income for full-time PAs in Read More...

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First Physician Assistant Week Article
October 7, 2008 11:11 AM by Stephen Cornell

The Foster Folly News online newspaper of Washington County, Fla., published the first—and only—PA Week article I have seen this year. It’s titled, “ Physician Assistants Make Their Mark on Health Care .” (Chipley, FL ) – It was on October 6, 1967, that Read More...

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Happy PA Week!
October 6, 2008 1:32 PM by Stephen Cornell

To celebrate the beginning of PA Week 2008, here's an excerpt from the Physician Assistant History Center's biography of Eugene Stead. Dr. Stead is recognized as the founder of the PA profession. He was born on the outskirts of Atlanta, Georgia on October Read More...

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Nice Job by Pa. PAs
October 6, 2008 12:42 PM by Stephen Cornell

The Pennsylvania Society of Physician Assistants had a successful conference last week. PSPA drew more than 500 PAs and PA students to its annual conference in King of Prussia, Pa. From what I'm hearing, the weak economy is not hurting attendance at state Read More...

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PA Student Participates in Heart Transplant
October 3, 2008 3:13 PM by Stephen Cornell

SAAAPA immediate past president Michael Simmons wrote an essay for the Sept. 30 AAPA about his participation in a heart transplant during PA school. I couldn’t believe it when Dr. Miller told me, “I think I’ve got a heart for later.” This was during my Read More...

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AAPA Responds to Provider Conscience Regulations
October 3, 2008 3:05 PM by Stephen Cornell

The AAPA strongly opposes regulations that would expand the ability of health care providers to refuse care because of religious, moral, ethical or other convictions. This is an excerpt of a letter from AAPA executive vice president and CEO Bill Leinweber Read More...

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A PA’s Financial Situation
October 1, 2008 2:31 PM by Terri Schaefer

Newsday featured a story about New York PA Dan Raio’s goals of paying his debts from PA school and saving money for a down payment on a house. Several years ago, Raio, 30, decided to leave his marketing career and return to school to get his physician's Read More...

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