Physician Assistants (PAs) have been around for about 50 years, after being birthed by the midwives of the profession, also known as MDs. We PAs have always had a close and formal connection to MDs, which has made us unique in the medical world.

Over the years, there have been several efforts to put a little more space between PAs and MDs, including several efforts to have our professional association, the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA), endorse a different title. Many PAs, young and old alike, have chafed under the word “assistant,” often feeling that this misrepresents and belittles our profession and the work we do.

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