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 […]

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