COVID-19 has applied a type of pressure on the U.S. this year that none of us have experienced in our lifetimes. Like every other segment of health care professionals, Certified Physician Assistants have been put to the test during 2020.
People talk about the practice of medicine as a science and as an art. I consider the practice of medicine to also be an act of love.
In April we shared the stories of Certified PAs across the country who were working on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19. Following the publication of those stories we received dozens of additional stories from PAs who are also working tirelessly to address this pandemic.
As many states begin to open up, we share these stories as a reminder that the battle wages on.
According to the 2019 Statistical Profile of Certified Physician Assistants, the most comprehensive report of PA data nationwide, the number of Certified PAs in the United States is quickly approaching 140,000 (139,688). Over the past five years the PA profession grew by 37 percent, with nearly 10,000 newly Certified PAs joining the workforce in 2019 alone.
As part of the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS), Marc Bush, PA-C is always ready and waiting for a disaster. In times of crisis, Bush and his colleagues are called to help whenever and wherever their skills are needed, helping to fill the gaps in medical care.
Certified Physician Assistants work hard every day, but the coronavirus is proving to be a challenge no one could have ever imagined. Here, in their own words, three Certified Physician Assistants share their stories of fighting on the front lines in this pandemic.
Both Samora Charles, PA-C and Alberto Pineda know that they are a part of the changing image of physician assistants.
If their current efforts are successful, they’ll forge an easier path for future generations in their field, while also being a medical professional their patients can relate to.
When Sherlonda Adkins, PA-C prepared to launch her mental health practice it didn’t take long for her to find the perfect office space.
That’s because her practice lives almost entirely online- and she can practice right upstairs in her house.
For the fifth consecutive year, the number of Certified Physician Assistants in the United States continues to increase.
According to the latest Statistical Profile of Certified Physician Assistants by State, one of four annual reports issued by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA), the PA workforce grew 6.6 percent between 2017 and 2018.
Typically, Haley Neahr, PA-C can be found treating patients at a private practice outside of Dallas. Every now and then, she gets a chance to take her skills as a Certified Physician Assistant to help others a world away.
The National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) is the only certifying organization for PAs in the United States. NCCPA is dedicated to serving the interest of the public.
We do so with a passionate belief that PAs are essential members of the health care delivery team who provide millions access to more affordable, high quality health care.
