There is some anxiety within the physician assistant ranks.
Do patients truly understand the role and scope of the physician assistant? Will it require more public education? It’s important, because there is no doubt that PAs will play a growing role as health delivery is reformed.
An easier idea may be simply re-branding the profession. (via ADVANCE Blog for PAs) There are plenty of PAs who have doctorate degrees, yet feel disrespected by being called a physician “assistant.”
This piece suggests physician associate may be a more accurate description of what PAs do.
topics: physician assistant, PAs
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
I fail to see how this is a problem. How about not letting anyone other than a physician use the title “Doctor” in a clinical setting. If PhD want to be called Doctor in class, thats great. They have worked hard for their degree and deserve that respect. But calling DNP’s or PhD PA’s Doctor will only confuse patients, just as the last paragraph of the article states. I do, however, think that is should be “associate physician”, rather than “physician assistant.” Makes more sense to me..
No.
They are assistants.
They work very well in that capacity.
Any name change will only add to confusion.
What should they be called, Doctor P.A. like Doctor Nurse?
A family physician
“I’m not a doctor, but I play one in clinic”
Isn’t that the goal, to further blur the line between doctors and mid-levels so the mid-levels can shrink any pay gap and any perception (among payors and patients) gap?
This isn’t about anything that actually matters, it’s about changing the language to influence status and income.
This is a clever move on their part. They are working on further blurring the distinction between a physician and a midlevel.
For our part, we should try to avoid using “doctor” when we mean “physician”.
One of the few good moves by the AAFP was to change our name from “family practice” to “family medicine” done by family “physicians” not practitioners. It’s the same specialty, but it avoids worsening the public’s confusion between us and the midlevels.
Actually, he suggests “associate physician, sort of like an associate professor” too. Give him credit for shamelessness. Associate physician! A physician, you see, of the associate type. Wow.
I doubt it’ll catch on. Unlike the NPs, who can call themselves Super Physician Extra PhD Masters with no medical oversight, PAs are under the state boards of medicine who are unlikely to look kindly on attempts to call themselves physician (or doctor).
It doesn’t matter to me if I am called a Physician Assistant, Associate, Physician’s Assistant, etc. What I am concerned about is the health of my patient and that I fulfill my role as an astute clinician.
It would cost millions of dollars to change all the literature in congress, education, local chapters, etc. Quite frankly, it would cost a 1/10 of that to implement new marketing strategies to better educate the public.
I agree with the OP that the AAPA needs to hire a PR firm and put forth some marketing initiatives. At the same time, a name change does nothing to educate anyone about our profession - it’s simply an insecurity within the profession.
Lets just throw in the towel and take a page from the British playbook and call everyone doctor and call the real physicians Mr.
As a Physician Assistant, I see both sides of the arguement. Am I physician? NO. If I earn a PhD. Should I be called Dr? Sure, As long as the Patient KNOWS I am a Physician Assistant and NOT a Medical Doctor. Its no different than a PhD psychologist being called Dr. XYZ. I know that they are a PhD psychologist, and NOT a psychiatrist. I would, AS ALWAYS, introduce myself as Mr. XYZ Physician Assistant and correct my patients if they call me Dr. If I were a PhD, I would introduce myself as Dr XYZ-PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT. A doctorate degree holds value and I would like my patients to know that I have a PhD, if I did in fact have one. I know of NO other profession that does not allow its Doctoral prepared professionals to be called Dr. This is a rediculous turf/insecurity issue. I am not an MD/DO and unlike alot of NPs, I do not hold myself out as one -EVER! Would I ever introduce myself as anything ever than Dr. XYZ-PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT? NEVER. So whats the issue? I am what I am, no confusion. I constantly correct and educate patients on my profession and role. I would never do anything less than such.