PAEA's New Online Look
The Physician Assistant Education Association has lauched its redesigned Web site. The site looks great, has a ton of information and seems easy to navigate.
Front and center at the new Web site is a section titled, "Informing the Clinical Doctorate Debate."
How should the PA profession approach the emerging issue of the clinical doctorate?
Many health professions, including physical therapy, nursing, audiology, and pharmacy, have implemented or are making plans to implement the clinical doctorate as as apart of their profession. These professions have cited leadership skills, higher pay, and patient acceptance as reasons why a doctorate education is needed. The PA community has for the most part been silent on this issue but recognizes that this position will not serve the profession well in the long run. At the 2007 PAEA Annual Education Forum, the membership passed a motion asking the PAEA board to establish a mechanism to consider the clinical doctorate issue and its implications for the profession.
PAEA and AAPA have partnered to conduct an investigation which will look at the pros and cons of an entry-level clinical doctorate for the PA profession. Research gathered over the next four months will be used to consider the issue at a culminating summit scheduled for March 25-27, 2009.
Kudos to PAEA for taking the lead on the doctorate degree issue and for providing this much-needed information.
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