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COVID-19 Resource Center

2015 Medicare Surgical Assist Exclusion List

The 2015 Medicare Surgical Assist Exclusion List is now available. Medicare will not pay for an assistant at surgery on procedures deemed necessary in fewer than 5 percent of surgical cases nationally. The payment exclusion applies to all first assistants, PAs, MDs and NPs.

January 16, 2015

PAs in Administration: TV News Reporter Finds Her Calling in PA Leadership Role

For Sheri A. Shebairo, MBA, PA-C, getting to the bottom of an issue has been a driving force throughout her professional life. Her first career was as a television news reporter in New York, but she always knew she wanted to have a more personal impact on the lives of others. Shebairo’s curiosity and eagerness to learn led her to make the life changing decision to pursue a career in healthcare.

December 18, 2014

Public Health Service Academy of PAs

The Public Health Service Academy of PAs (PHSAPA) renders services to the medical profession and the public, while advocating for the unique needs of their constituent PAs. The PHSAPA is the AAPA constituent organization for active duty and retired PAs of the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS), Coast Guard and many civil service PAs employed within the federal government.

December 12, 2014

PAs Included in New Telemedicine Guidelines in Washington State

On Oct. 3, the Washington Medical Quality Assurance Commission (MQAC) adopted guidelines for the appropriate use of telemedicine that include PAs. The new guidelines define “practitioner” to include PAs and physicians regulated by the state’s allopathic board and emphasize how the use of telemedicine increases access to healthcare.

October 23, 2014

Missouri Governor Signs Bills Recognizing Assistant Physicians

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon signed into law Senate Bills 716 and 754. These bills contain language calling on the Missouri Board of Healing Arts to license “assistant physicians,” who are medical school graduates who have not yet completed a residency. AAPA voiced its opposition to the assistant physician concept on its PAs Connect blog and in local and national media, and the American Medical Association (AMA) also responded to this concept.

July 11, 2014

A Day in the Life of a PA in Primary Care

I’ve been working in family medicine for two years now. Some things we do every day may seem routine, but there is nothing ordinary about how we care for our patients. Here is a recent day at my practice.

July 8, 2014

5 Tips for Getting Into PA School

The PA profession is growing rapidly. It’s in demand, and it attracts a wide array of individuals with different backgrounds and healthcare experiences. I first learned about the profession from a classmate while I was finishing my senior year in college as a biology major. A year later, I was enrolled in a program. Here’s some advice on navigating the pre-PA school track based on my experience. There’s more to applying to PA school than you might think.

June 25, 2014

A Day in the Life of a PA in Orthopaedic Surgery

I enjoy being a physician assistant because my work is challenging, yet very rewarding. I am able to practice medicine within a multidisciplinary team where I consult with my supervising physicians daily. Here’s what a recent day was like for me.

June 5, 2014

10 Tips for Your Clinical Year

If someone gives you a helping hand, it’s only fitting to pay it forward. Over the past year of clinicals, people have handed me nuggets of wisdom that I use every day. Here is a list of 10 tips for your clinical year.

May 12, 2014