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This will be the introduction of a five part series on the realities that we face as 21st century PAs at the conclusion of the first decade. I wrote a substantial article for the former Physician Assistant Journal ten years ago that addressed “reality beckons for the year 2001."
Recently, I was looking at “crystal ball” articles and thought that I could freshen this up and demonstrate its relevance to a new decade of physician assistants. It is of great importance for the profession to look in the mirror and feel its pulse to ascertain our state of health and to self-reflect as to whether the author is just ranting or if in fact, we are moving in directions that are potentially hazardous with the intention of making changes. This series will also be available as a non-clinical conference topic or presentation for 2010 and 2011.
Years ago I read a story that made an indelible impression upon me and is a source of reflection for this time in our professions life. Napoleon Bonaparte gathered together his generals in an upper room and pointed to a map of the world and stated, “There is a sleeping giant, let her sleep, for when she awakens she will shake the world.” This infamous leader was pointing to China who experienced a huge awakening in the later portion of the 20th century and now has developed a strong economic and financial power base and has become an international lender. It has developed new affordable technologies that challenge any on the globe. China has proven that it is a capable industrial nation and has focused on educating its citizens so that they may be leaders in this diverse economic world.
I am now reflecting of the PA profession which is forty-five years old. We are young as a profession compared to nursing and physicians but we have indeed changed the face of medicine by our existence. As I examine our past I have even greater hopes for our future providing that we heed the signs on the road map of healthcare in America. Ten years ago I stated that we were awake to our possibilities and our potential. The landscape has changed immensely since that time and the opportunities are far greater than ever before in our history. It is urgent, no, necessary, that we make sure that we are not marching into the next decade with the last decades philosophy. We need to envision our greatness and ask ourselves what price we need to pay to be players in an entirely new healthcare system. The world has changes; medicine as we knew it has changes and new American healthcare policies can and will affect all that we do in the future. We are among the top ten professions in the United States and we are ever growing but we need to make sure that there remains a place for the new PAs who are entering our profession and we need to make sure that we do not cripple our future opportunities by remaining stagnant.
Water that is cool and fresh has the potential of relieving our thirst and replenishing ourselves for the tasks ahead. Picture a family who has been toiling in the hot sun for multiple hours and are now thirsty. There is a hose that has been sitting outside for the entire day and it contains life giving water. The father picks up the hose and places it to his parched lips while the wife opens the faucet to release the water. Instead of refreshing cool water, the father experiences the realization that his water is warm, tastes like rubber and causes him to spit it out. Why? The water had become stagnant. In order to meet the needs of this new decade and the needs of the new PAs it is our responsibility to make sure that the water continues to flow and that it remains cool and tasteful. Only you and I as today’s PAs can assure that this will be so in the future. Next week: The first reality.
Robert M. Blumm has received national recognition as a distinguished fellow of the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA). He is the past president of the Association of Plastic Surgery Physician Assistants, and was past-president of the American Association of Surgical Physician Assistants, past president of the American College of Clinicians and NYSSPA, as well as Chairman of the Surgical Congress of the AAPA. In addition, Bob received the John Kirklin MD Award for Professional Excellence from the American Association of Surgical Physician Assistants. Along with his associate, Dr. Acker, Bob was the first recipient of the AAPA PAragon Physician-PA Partnership Award. He has been a contributing author of three textbooks, written 150 plus articles and is a sought out conference speaker throughout the United States.
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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