Provided by Clinician 1


Lately I have been thinking much about the PA name change movement. I was speaking to a friend that wants the change and he said something interesting, that the actions of the AAPA caused him to become much more in favor of the name change. I asked how that could be? He explained that 6,000 PAs (actually now 6,200) have sent in letters to the AAPA, asking for a change to Physician Associate. These letters were sent in mostly in a three month period over last summer. It was felt that this specific number made the point as it was double the number of PAs that voted in the last AAPA election. We stopped it in September. My friend feels that it is now seven months later wonders why no member who wrote in has been answered. He said it has hardened his resolve and as the days go on and he wonders how long it will take the AAPA to realize this issue will not be going away and is something they should not ignore. He was only warm to the idea in the beginning. Thought it was important but he could go either way as he is ready to retire. He said that for him personally this is now past just the name change issue. It goes right to the premise that there were thousands of people who in a three month time frame told their organization something was important to them and the organization never even acknowledged them. Thousands of PAs they can not afford to ignore. He also pointed out that these were the types of members an organization should least want to ignore. People who send in letters, who are active, who care, who dream. He wondered aloud if it could be true that they just don’t understand the profession. Why would any group that cares about membership-even if they disagreed with those members, ignore them? Well, let’s not say ignore. We did get a number of past Board leaders telling us how wrong we were and that we did not get the “bigger” picture.  We did get a few Board members privately saying they want a name change too, but there are reasons we can’t do it now. And there was a question asked on the census which directly tied the name change to cost (increased payment) and while the census was underway the Academy ran an editorial from two physicians who told PAs that their assistant name worked just fine. 

Still neither of us nor the PAs working for this change want this to end badly. Maybe it won’t. The census is over now so we all will see the results. And possibly a few people running or on the Board will publicly say, “I feel your pain, I too agree, let’s start a dialogue”. Let’s talk PA to PA. Let’s not cloud the issue with other issues. Let’s listen and learn together. Let’s see where we come out. 

My friend is right. This has gone beyond the name change. It is about the widening gap between the grassroots PA and the PA leadership of the profession, both nationally and at the state level. After seven months the Board needs to have spoken. If not soon, getting past this issue without damage will be hard. There is one way we can all win. Ask the incoming AAPA President to appoint an Ad Hoc Committee to look past the urban legends and the smoke screens on both sides and look at the facts about how hard or easy it would be to change our name. Pick 3-4 PA leaders who have worked on the name change “committee” and 3-4 who care from the AAPA. Many of us pro name changers believe we can come up with an agreeable plan. 

You can’t have an organization that represents all PAs when there is a sense that those PAs you disagree with don’t count. Let me say that again; you can’t have an organization that represents all PAs when there is a sense that those PAs you disagree with don’t count. Or that those 6,200 PAs are the “fringe PAs"-the radicals, and who cares about them anyway? These 6,200 are only the tip of the iceberg. Many of us believe these PAs and the tens thousands more who care about the future of their profession are giving it one last shot. Some are watching. Some are waiting. Some may have given up. There must be a shared vision of service to the member by every PA leader. Not a vision to serve other professions, or yourself, or fear to not make waves that will anger organized medicine. The first vision of service must be to the membership. To their hopes and dreams and aspirations. If not, they will see right through it. 

I hope it’s not too late? 

Dave

Dave has been a PA, and later NP, leader for thirty years.  He strongly believes that NPs and PAs must work together to insure a better future for both professions.  Most recently Dave has been busy launching another dream; Clinician 1, the first internet community for PAs and NPs.  In October 2008, Dave was honored by the New Jersey State society of PAs with its “Lifetime Achievement Award”.









The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC. 

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