Physician Assistant

The physician assistant (PA) profession started as a uniquely American career that developed as a reaction to the changing social, cultural, and health care landscapes of the mid-20th century. Over the past 50 years, PAs have become an essential part of the U.S. health care system. Physician Assistants: Collaboration and Care, the new online and traveling exhibition, celebrates the field’s unique history, its current thriving state, and its bright future. This blog will explore how convergences in American history led to the creation of the profession in 1965.

The PA profession was created to improve and expand healthcare, the first PA class graduating from the Duke University PA program on October 6, 1967.
In 1968, the American Academy of Physician Associates (formerly the American Academy of Physician Assistants) was established and incorporated in the state of North Carolina.

This Timeline contains important milestones and events in the development of the physician assistant (PA) profession. It provides the reader with an introduction to the people, events and activities that have shaped the growth of the profession from concept to reality. With the exception of the precedent years that date back to 1650, the Timeline presents a decade by decade progression in the use of non-physicians to provide health care in the United States and other countries. Embedded in the Timeline are links to other relevant sites, illustrations and references to enrich the reader’s depth of knowledge about our professional history and how it is intertwined with that of other health professions.

AAPA is the national organization that advocates for all PAs and provides tools to improve PA practice and patient care.

The PA Education Association (PAEA) is the only national organization representing PA educational programs. PAEA works to ensure quality PA education through the development and distribution of educational services and products specifically geared toward meeting the emerging needs of PA programs, the PA profession, and the health care industry.

PAs (physician associates/physician assistants) are licensed clinicians who practice medicine in every specialty and setting.
Trusted, rigorously educated and trained healthcare professionals, PAs are dedicated to expanding access to care and transforming health and wellness through patient-centered, team-based medical practice.

Information from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.