AAPA Response to EM Physician Groups’ “Joint Statement Regarding Post-Graduate Training for Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants”

September 9, 2020

On behalf of the 140,000 PAs (physician assistants), we are deeply concerned with the pattern of physician organizations’ efforts to create even more barriers for PAs to fully contribute to the healthcare team. In a recent statement, several physician organizations expressed their desire to implement measures that would restrict the ability of PAs and NPs to obtain post-graduate training.

Research shows that PAs contribute to high-quality and cost-effective outcomes, helping to expand access to healthcare for patients across the country, particularly those in rural or other underserved areas. Post-graduate training is a viable (but not commonly utilized) option for PAs seeking to advance their skills in a specialty area and for employers that want to grow the competencies of their healthcare teams.

AAPA joins our colleagues at the Society of Emergency Medicine Physician Assistants in expressing our desire for collaboration among organizations “where the contributions of all members are respected and valued.” Collectively, we should seek to remove barriers to patient care, not create them.

More Resources
AAPA’s Letter to Physician Organizations in Response to Recent Statement
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