"Physician Assistant Ain't It!"
Nevada physician assistant Stephen E. Lyons takes on the profession's title.
In JAAPA.
We need now to discuss a title that will at last reflect the reality of where we fit into the scheme of health care delivery here and increasingly around the world. And physician assistant “ain’t it!”
Maybe in the early 1970s, PAs mostly assisted their physician employers, supervisors, and mentors directly, by extending their eyes, ears, and hands. And maybe in the early days of every new PA’s career, he or she is truly an assistant. But time marches on, and the medical world and health care delivery have evolved. We have evolved with them. Our title has not. It no longer is a helpful descriptive of our role.
Nice job by Lyons on the column. He speaks for many thousands of PAs.
And nice job by JAAPA publishing an opinion that is not very popular among academy leaders.
Link