History Of PA Profession: The Four Organizations Of The Physician Assistant

THE FOUR ORGANIZATIONS OF THE PHYSICIAN ASSSISTANT/ASSOCIATE PROFESSION PAS 6013 Introduction to the PA Profession Natasha Major Master of Physician Assistant Program A course paper presented to the Master of Physician Assistant Studies Program in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Physician Assistant Studies Mississippi State University – Meridian April 2024 The Four Organizations of the Physician Assistant/Associate Profession Introduction The physician assistant/associate (PA) concept was developed during a time when the US was becoming increasingly aware of the health Reginald Carter and J.F. Gifford summarized the conditions that set the stage for the PA profession to emerge. Many Americans were concerned

Eugene Stead proposed a program at Duke University that would eventually become the first PA program in the United States.1 Dr. Stead modeled his idea for a physician assistant on the relationship between Amos N. Johnson, MD, and Henry Lee “Buddy” Treadwell. Dr. Johnson had trained Mr. Treadwell to assist him at his rural general medical practice in eastern North Carolina. Mr. Treadwell received training in developing X-ray films, measuring blood pressure, listening to chest sounds, and placing and removing sutures. Their thirty-year relationship served as the prototype for what a physician/physician assistant alliance could be.2 Initially, Dr. Stead proposed utilizing nurses in his new program, but the National League of Nursing (NLN) opposed the idea citing concerns that the program would move its participants from nursing into the “medical model.”1 In October 1965, eight years after being denied accreditation by the NLN, Duke University welcomed its first four PA students. The cohort was comprised of former Navy corpsmen who were employed at Duke University Hospital. The two-year program was designed to provide its students with the skills needed to assist family practitioners and

AAPA aims to ensure that its members grow professionally, achieve personal excellence, and are recognized.3 It was started by members of the second and third cohorts at Duke University as the American Association of Physician Assistants. The organization became incorporated in 1968 in North Carolina, and Dr. E. Harvey Estes, Jr. was its first advisor. William Stanhope served two terms as the first president between 1968 and 1970. Initially, AAPA limited its membership to those who had been trained in two-year programs based on the biomedical model. It believed that students who received training in other models, such as MEDEX, were not legitimate PAs. Following discussions between Dr. Robert Howard (Duke University) and Dr. Richard Smith, the decision was made to grant membership to all graduates of accredited programs.1 AAPA was founded with the intention of encouraging its members to deliver honest, loyal, and efficient service to the medical profession and to offer quality care to the public whom they serve.2 Today, the vision of AAPA