Should physician assistants be re-named?

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

Comments

Anonymous
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..
Anonymous
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
Anonymous
“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.
Anonymous
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.
Anonymous
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).
Dan
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.
Anonymous
Lets just throw in the towel and take a page from the British playbook and call everyone doctor and call the real physicians Mr.
Anonymous
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.
Anonymous
No, I’m sorry. If you have a Phd or any other Doctorate you should not be introducing yourself to patients as “Dr. XYZ” Psychologists do not come into the room wearing a white labcoat with a stethoscope, just after a nurse takes their vitals. Nobody confuses a Psychologist (Phd or PsyD) with a Physician.
PAs, however, are on the front lines. While admirable, the idea that they should have the title of “Doctor” will be misleading and utterly pointless. Calling them “Physician Associates” is equally as ridiculous. PAs are not associates to Physicians any more than hygienists are “associates” to a Dentist. They assist, they function under their supervision, they are Physicians Assistants.
The worst part of all of this is that children will no longer want to grow up to become Physicians. Why should they? They can become a “Doctor” as an NP, and now they can become a “Doctor” as a PA. There should be no doctorate level study in either field. If you are a nurse or a PA and want the title of “Doctor” or want to open your own practice, you should apply to medical school just like the physicians did.
What NPs are doing (and what many PAs wish they could get away with) is circumventing the system. They want all of the prestige, pay and influence of a physician without going to medical school.
Best thing for our country? Stop licensing new PAs and NPs immediately. Give them 10 years to either attend medical school and become physicians or re-license as Nurses. Give more scholarships and make medical school a more attainable goal for kids whose parents aren’t rich. The answer to physician shortages is not replacing them with paramedical practitioners.
Anonymous
PAs and NPs do play a very important role in health care today in the U.S. Yet, unless somebody has actually had a run in with one of them, they are probably clueless as to what they do.
I don’t know of many NPs who aspire to be called Dr. Nurse, nor do I know any PAs who do. Seems to me there are a few alarmists causing problems for all.
PAs definitely need a better PR campaign. I remember in the early years of “E.R.”, one of the characters was a P.A. Today, USA Network’s “Royal Pains” has a PA character as well. IMHO, those efforts are the easiest way to re-educate the public.
I honestly wonder if the PA education model might not be adapted for med school in general. Do we really need 4 years of undergrad plus 4 years of med school (then the additional 3-5 or more years of residency and fellowship)? In the rest of the world, most physicians do an Interflex model… 6 years out of high school…leading to a Bachelor’s in Surgery. Heck, when my Dad went to med school in the 50s, he entered after his sophmore year of college. Shortening the phase before med school or compacting med school would reduce the overall debt load as well.
rmg26
I have a PhD and will be starting PA school shortly. Frankly, I have noticed that PhD’s get the short end of the stick when it comes to the title “Dr”. Bear in mind, in a historical sense, the PhD came before the MD and has been said to be truly the “highest degree to be attained”.
That being said, the hospital or clinic is no place for a PhD to be casually referred to as “Dr”. This can certainly be confusing to the patient. However, among colleagues, it would be respectful to use the title. If PhD’s wanted to be called “Dr” in both academica and medicine then they need to go to med school as well.
http://fertilityfile.com IVF-MD
Patient have the right to know whether each person involved in their care is a MD/DO, a PA, a nurse, a medical assistant or an orderly.
If the patient is ignorant and blatantly refuses care by anyone other than a physician, that is their right. However, they may end up hurting themselves by being delayed or not being seen at all.
Educating the patient is our responsibility so that we can care for them more efficiently. I am very open to the idea of bringing aboard a PA/NP to the team and when I do, I’ll have information available for the patients to read, if needed.
As for the title “doctor”, it is all but meaningless in this day and age. There is no law against calling yourself “doctor” in a non-professional setting. There are those who take on the title of “doctor” when peddling vitaimins, when all they have is a certificate from some nutripathic correspondence school of voodoo. Given this fact, Dr. Evil shouldn’t have been all that upset to be accidentally called MISTER.
LastoftheZucchiniFlowers
Once again, this is more about reimbursement than about titles. All ancillary professions are being forced into PhD programs (costly and ludicrous) ostensibly to afford INDEPENDENT practice which is merely code for billing third party payors without to DOCTOR (MD) signing off. That’s all. My doctor is known to me by his first name. That’s just the way we do it. Many MDs are known to their patients by their first names. They’re usually younger MDs who are less involved in their titles IN PRACTICE but of course, must use them in correspondence, publishing, academia, etc. University programs are the real reason that PhD programs are being pushed down the throats of everyone from the PTs to the Masters-prepared midlevels. Finally in answer to the question “are patients confused?” OF COURSE they are confused. PA, NP, DC, OD, DNP, ND, ad infinitum……. THEY know who they are and what they’re licensed to do and they do NOT tell patients that they are MDs, but most patients are of the mind set that those who care for them in clinical settings are MDs. NAME TAGS with titles help a LOT. I don’t believe that midlevels are the caust of the confusion. It is simply the world of health care as it continues in flux.
Anonymous
I don’t agree that Physician Assistants with a PhD should not be titled as “Dr. XYZ”. They are, in fact, “doctors”. They aren’t “medical doctors”, but they are doctors. Don’t take away the accomplishments and qualifications of the PA-PhD just because people take “doctor” as the equivalent to “physician”. A PhD is a doctor in their field, and they’ve earned the right to use the title just as anyone else.
Frustrated Physician Assistant
As a PA-C I can offer that it is frustrating to have the education i have, to have this qualifications and still have the majority of people thinking a Physician Assistant is the guy who hands the Doctor instruments. I also agree that a PA-PHD should not use the title Doctor in the hospitol setting – as unfair as it is, it implies a different education then we have. I don’t like the term Physician Associates either. I just don’t think there is a word for us. Maybe the docs could let us have General Practitioner.
Last of the Zucchini Flowersl
This reminds me of the neighborhood association which formed directly under the glide path of the major international airport. The airport was a fixture prior to any homes being built. The jet noise was a fait a’compli` when families built there. Eventually, the families decided they ‘didn’t like’ the jet noise anymore and lobbied for noise abatement which the pilots loathed but were forced to accept by admin types who ran the local governments and FCC leaders.
Was the title ‘physician assistant’ when you entered the program? Was the designation on your licensure “P.A.” when you passed your boards? Why do you now reject the title? I understand the ‘assistant’ part might be seen as ‘less than’ but kindly take responsibility for reality? PAs and NPs are NOT MDs/DOs and guess what – the patient doesn’t give a rats a–s what is on your RX pad, as long as you fix them, talk to them and remember their name each time they return. Besides – as a wise post above stated: the BOM created the PA profession and is not likely to ‘let’ you ‘have General Practitioner’. The NPs are different in that they can, in some states, work alone (and usually do) requiring no chart sign off (something docs DESPISE having to do) Besides most of the PAs I know are highly specialized OR types (amazing talent) in Ortho, Cardiiology and other ‘elite’ specialties. And if you really want to get technical, the MD profession ‘created’ the NP role as well. So let’s all try to continue the good work and stop kvetching about our titles. THAT serves to annihilate the professionalism midlevels have worked hard to earn. And besides – MDs diss EACH OTHER all the time. For example, in my field there is a tendency to describe doctors by definition of what they are NOT, such as “non-dermatologist physician”! How’s THAT for a major DISS? It’s like a male being called a ‘non-female’ or a PA/NP as ‘nonphysician provider’. Colossal waste of time – let’s get on with the work?

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