Physician Assistant or Physician Associate? Survey Finds PAs Are Split

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Oct 12, 2023, 09:05 ET

Poll of 267 PAs Uncovers Lack of Consensus on Title Use Ahead of National PA Week

PEABODY, Mass. , Oct. 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Barton Associates, the 4th largest locum tenens staffing agency in the U.S. with 10 offices nationwide, conducted a survey of its network of PAs on whether they prefer using "physician assistant" or "physician associate" as their title.

The questions examined whether a change made in May 2021 by the AAPA to change the meaning of "PA" to "physician associate" from "physician assistant" has caught on among these medical professionals. The findings showed a near-even split in preference: 49% favored "physician assistant," while 51% preferred "physician associate."

Those who prefer using "physician assistant" primarily said they choose to use that title because it's what has been used historically: "I have been in training and/or working in the PA world for 30 years. I have been a Physician Assistant for all that time, [and it would be] really tough to change now. I am not offended by the word assistant," said one respondent.

Those who prefer "physician associate" had a variety of reasons for their decision, such as that it more accurately describes their role: "The name assistant indicates dependence. We are an evolving partner in healthcare and deserve a title which represents this movement," said another respondent.

The survey, which was conducted on SurveyMonkey from September 29 to October 5, 2023, garnered responses from 267 active PAs in Barton Associates network ahead of National PA Week, October 6–12. These PAs include full-time locums, part-time locums, and professionals in permanent positions aged 18 to 65+.

Aside from the general split among all PAs, the survey also uncovered that PAs of nearly every age group are divided on the title they use. The survey also found that full-time and part-time locum PAs are more likely to refer to themselves as "physician associates," with 59% of professionals among each group preferring that title. The results flip for permanent providers, as 55% of those medical professionals prefer "assistant."

Learn more about the survey on the company's blog.

About Barton Associates
Barton Associates, headquartered in Peabody, Massachusetts, is a leading national locum tenens physician, nurse practitioner (NP), physician assistant (PA), and dentist staffing and recruiting firm. Learn more at BartonAssociates.com.

SOURCE Barton Associates