Perspective on the Journal of Physician Assistant Education : From Association Newsletter to Academic Peer-Reviewed Journal Celebrating 25 Years.

For 25 years, the Journal of PA Education (JPAE) and its predecessor publications have been the pre-eminent venues for disseminating and promulgating information and research on the physician assistant (PA) profession. In this article, former and current editors in chief have compiled a detailed history of the journal, its development, and its trajectory into the future, outlining the journey taken by Association of PA Programs/PA Education Association to catalog faculty scholarship through a peer-reviewed journal. Allowing for the referencing of articles and thus adding to the body of knowledge on PAs and PA education, JPAE has not only endured but thrived.

Impact of Integrated Pharmacology Instruction by Principal Faculty Pharmacists in Two Physician Assistant Programs: A Retrospective Study.

Purpose: In recent years, there has been a growing trend toward integrating pharmacology instruction into physician assistant (PA) programs by dedicated PA faculty pharmacists. Pharmacists train to become medication experts. Incorporating pharmacist instruction in a PA program during the didactic year provides PA students with an early opportunity to experience interprofessional education and interdisciplinary synergy through clinical application.

Rent-a-MEDEX: An early PA prototype.

In the 1970s, busy physicians knew little about the capabilities of a new member of the healthcare team-the physician associate/assistant (PA). Internal studies by the University of Utah and University of Washington educational programs demonstrated that the MEDEX/PA could increase access to care by providing quality, cost-effective care in rural primary care practices. Marketing this concept was essential, and in the early 1970s, the Utah program devised an innovative plan, partially funded through a grant from the federal Bureau of Health Resources Development, called Rent-a-MEDEX.

Crafting a Profession: Moving From Innovative Model Programs to a Successful National Profession.

The authors review the historical underpinnings of the physician assistant (PA) profession and the tumultuous social context at the time the PA profession was born. They explore the creation of "model" PA programs and the subsequent crafting of the PA profession through 2 distinct "quality control" procedures: the credentialing of PA programs (accreditation) and the credentialing of PA graduates (certification). These pillars of PA education and PA practice brought credibility to a fledgling profession in its early years and stand today as examples of the creative thinking and courage of the architects of a profession that, for the first time in American medical history, allowed someone, other than physicians, to practice medicine.

Educational debt: does it have an influence on initial job location and specialty choice?

Purpose: This study applied a quantitative design and analyzed the impact of educational debt on initial specialty and location choices for physician assistant (PA) graduates in Indiana.

Methods: PAs who graduated between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2010, and actively practice in Indiana were surveyed. Descriptive statistics and chi-square analyses were performed to determine whether any significant relationships existed among practice specialty, location, and gender.

The Burmese medic: an international physician assistant analogue.

Although there have been recent democratic reforms in Myanmar (formerly known as Burma), for nearly 60 years there has been a consistent history of human rights violations as part of a civil war waged by the Myanmar military, known as the Tatmadaw. Approximately 3,500 villages have been destroyed by the Tatmadaw during the half-century of civil war. Oppression against minority groups, including the Karen, Karenni, Kachin, Mon, Shan, Chin, and Muslims has adversely affected the health outcomes of these vulnerable populations.

Factors associated with physician assistant practice in rural and primary care in utah.

Physician Assistants (PAs) have become an integral part of the United States (U.S.) health care system since the profession began in the late 1960s.

The productivity of PAs, APRNs, and physicians in Utah.

The physician assistant workforce in Utah is experiencing remarkable growth, with a 9% net annual rate of increase since 1998. An additional 84 PAs provided patient care in Utah in the 4-year period of 1998 through 2001, an average increase of 21 per year. The Utah Medical Education Council believes that the demand for PAs will be high over the next 10 to 15 years, with several factors fueling this growth.