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Maine this month enacted legislation to change the professional title typically known as “physician assistant” (PA) to “physician associate.” It is the second state to do so; Oregon adopted the physician associate designation in April 2024. A 2-year advocacy campaign led by the Maine Academy of Physician Associates helped to influence the change, according to a press release. Nationally, the American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) voted in 2021 to adopt “physician associate” as the official title for the profession, aiming to better reflect the scope and responsibilities of PAs. While AAPA and several of its state chapters have updated their organizational names, driving the change more broadly across state and federal regulatory agencies may take a decade or longer to achieve, if at all. Currently, New Hampshire is considering state legislation to similarly change the PA title to “physician associate.”
More than capable: Commenting on the legislation, AAPA officials stated in the announcement that the title change helps dispel misconceptions about the capabilities of physician associates while helping to modernize PA practice overall.