Physician Assistant Doctorate: A Ticket to Autonomy?

Anthony A Miller1, Bettie Coplan

  • 1Anthony A. Miller, MEd, PA-C, is a professor and the director of the Division of Physician Assistant Studies at Shenandoah University, Winchester, Virginia. Bettie Coplan, MPAS, PA-C, is an associate clinical professor in the School for the Science of Health Care Delivery at Arizona State University and part-time faculty for the Northern Arizona University Department of Physician Assistant Studies in Phoenix.

Summary

Physician Assistant (PA) education is evolving, with debate shifting towards doctorate-level standardization. This article examines the history of PA degrees and their link to practice autonomy.

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