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How PAs became licensed to practice in the United States

Alfred M Sadler1, Ann Davis

  • 1Alfred M. Sadler, Jr., is retired from the practice of primary and urgent care in Monterey and Salinas, Calif. He is the coauthor of The Physician Assistant: An Illustrated History, which chronicles the development of the profession over the past 50 years, and is immediate past president of the Physician Assistant History Society. He served as the first president of the Association of Physician Assistant Programs (the forerunner to the Physician Assistant Education Association) in 1972. Ann Davis is vice president of constituent organization outreach and advocacy for AAPA. The authors have disclosed no potential conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise.

JAAPA : Official Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants
|June 24, 2017
PubMed
Summary

The history of Physician Assistants (PAs) in the US began in the 1960s, creatively navigating licensure hurdles to establish the profession. Over 50 years, PAs achieved success, yet challenges persist for this vital healthcare role.

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