PA Title Change Investigation

Overview

WPP led an independent Title Change Investigation (TCI) to determine the best marketing strategy and title for the PA profession. The agency was selected to conduct the investigation as a follow up to a resolution from AAPA’s House of Delegates and at the request of AAPA’s Board of Directors. The overarching goal of this project was to position PAs to successfully compete in the ever-changing healthcare marketplace.

The TCI attempted to address two key questions:

1

Is there a need to evolve the PA brand based on an objective, well-informed, data and analysis-driven view of where it stands today?
2

And if so, how do we redefine how the PA profession is positioned, how its value is conveyed, and how it is titled to meet the requirements of tomorrow’s healthcare landscape?

How WPP/Landor Selected Alternative Title Options
Informed by extensive qualitative and quantitative research, WPP/Landor developed more than 150 alternative title options. Many options were eliminated from consideration following state and federal legal and regulatory investigations, trademark and acronym reviews, and other rigorous research. This document explains the criteria used to evaluate the alternative title options.

TCI Final Report & CME-Eligible Presentation

Report & CME Now Available to Members

WPP and AAPA presented the final report of the Physician Assistant Title Change Investigation to the AAPA House of Delegates and AAPA members virtually on November 20, 2020. The recorded presentation is now available free to AAPA members for CME credit in Learning Central. Members can also access a PDF of the Title Change Investigation Final Report by logging in to AAPA’s website.