In Practice: Reflections from NPs and PAs

December 9th, 2015

Be a Quality Preceptor: Our Legacy Depends On It

Bianca Belcher, MPH, PA-C

In 2010, there were 146 accredited physician assistant (PA) programs in the United States. Today, we have 200 and that number continues to grow annually. I see this rapid growth as a double-edged sword. On the one hand, physician assistants fill a crucial role in the healthcare team delivering high-quality care to patients — so […]

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November 4th, 2015

What Should “PA” Stand For?

Bianca Belcher, MPH, PA-C

Bianca Belcher, MPH, PA-C, practices neurosurgery in Boston, MA. In the past few years, the charge to rename our profession from “physician assistant” to “physician associate” has gained momentum. Although a name change would not alter the scope of what PAs do on a day-to-day basis, the argument is that it might better inform our […]

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October 20th, 2015

I Was Raised on a Zebra Farm

Harrison Reed, PA-C

Harrison Reed, PA-C, practices emergency medicine in Las Vegas, NV. I was raised on a zebra farm. Maybe you were, too. And while that’s a whimsical place to grow up, it doesn’t reflect the real world. Our teachers told us that hoofbeats belonged to horses, but everywhere we went they showed us zebras. Those were the […]

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