News Central

South Dakota Joins PA Compact in Third RHTP-driven Win for PAs

South Dakota is now the 23rd state to enter the PA Licensure Compact, following the signing of (H.B. 1146). This win comes on the heels of the state’s pledge to enter the PA Licensure Compact as part of its application for Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) funds.

March 10, 2026

PA’s Award-Winning Research Illustrates a Shift in Emergency Department Utilization

Fred Wu, 2025 recipient of the Physician Associate Foundation’s Breitman-Dorn Research Award, examined patient demographics, insurance types, visit timing, and acuity levels while completing his PhD, focusing on PA utilization.

March 6, 2026

PA Response to Department of Education Proposed Rule Demonstrates Commitment to the Future of Healthcare

Since the announcement of the ED Decision to Place Restrictive Caps on PA Student Loans in early November and throughout the public comment period, the PA community has engaged in a robust show of grassroots advocacy.

March 3, 2026

From Physical Therapist to Physician Associate: Darvin Foo Found New Fulfillment

After 17 years as a physical therapist, Darvin Foo was ready for a change. He found gratifying work as a physician associate at Shriners Children’s Northern California, a pediatric specialty hospital where he works on the sports medicine and complex hip teams. As a PA, Foo strives to build connection, both as a provider and sometimes a mentor, with his young patients.

March 2, 2026

Welcome to the New AAPA Community

AAPA recently launched the new and improved AAPA Community—a members-only online space created to support meaningful discussions about the PA profession by PAs, students, and pre-PAs in all stages of their careers.

March 2, 2026

AAPA Files Formal Comments Opposing Proposed Federal Student Loan Rule

The American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) has filed formal public comments with the U.S. Department of Education (ED) opposing its proposal to exclude PA programs from higher federal “professional” student loan limits and urging the Department to align the final rule with the statute by classifying PAs under the professional loan tier.

February 26, 2026

AAPA Comments to Education Department: Student Loan Exceeds Statutory Authority, Redefines H.R. 1’s “Professional Degree”

The American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA), representing approximately the nation’s 190,000 physician associates/physician assistants (PAs), formally submitted public comments to the U.S. Department of Education opposing its proposed federal student loan rule under the Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) framework.

February 26, 2026

Arizona Becomes 22nd Compact State in Second RHTP-driven Win for PAs

Arizona has officially become the 22nd state to enact legislation joining the PA Licensure Compact and fulfilling a promise the state made in its application for Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) funds.

February 24, 2026

What’s at Stake: Fighting for PA Access to Student Loans

Since the announcement of the Department of Education’s proposed cap on federal student loans, AAPA has received nearly 2,000 of stories from PAs, PA students, and pre-PAs describing how essential federal loans are to affording PA education and how the Department’s proposed rule would disrupt the PA workforce pipeline. This article is the second in a special AAPA News Central series, “What’s at Stake: Fighting for PA Access to Student Loans.”

February 20, 2026