Timeline

1981

Staffing Primary Care in 1990: Physician Replacement and Costs Savings, by Record, reveals that PAs based in an HMO can provide 79% of care traditionally performed by primary care physicians at 50% of the cost.

APAP conducts a third national survey of students and graduates with Robert Wood Johnson support. The results of the three national surveys are merged to establish a National PA Database. The AAPA assumes responsibility for updating and maintaining the national database on PAs.

NCCPA introduced the recertification examination. PAs who failed the exam were recertified for two years and allowed to take the exam again. During an introductory four-year period, NCCPA tested different levels and lengths of the recertification examination.

1982

Physician Assistants: Their Contribution to Health Care, by Perry and Breitner, is published.

The Art of Teaching Primary Care, by Golden and Hager, is published.

1983

NCCPA's Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE) was redesigned to include three components: a general knowledge/core component, and extended core component in surgery or primary care and a clinical skills problems component (CSPs).

1984

First Annual Report on Physician Assistant Educational Programs in the United States, by Oliver, is published by the Association of Physician Assistant Programs (APAP).

Alternatives in Health Care Delivery, edited by Carter and Perry, is published.

1985

1985 AAPA's Burroughs Wellcome Health Policy Fellowship created with Marshal Sinback named as first fellow.

Membership in the AAPA surpasses 10,000 mark. Membership categories expanded to include physicians, affiliates and sustaining members.

NCCPA introduced the newly-designed Physician Assistant National Recertifying Examination (PANRE). The half-day, proctored examination was a comprehensive examination of general medicine. PAs who failed it were still recertified to retake the test in two years.

AAPA and APAP begin first joint project providing PA graduates with a national job bank service: PA JOB Find.

NCCPA's Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination was open to informally trained professionals for the last time.

1986

AAPA succeeds in legislative drive for coverage of PA services in hospitals and nursing homes, and assisting in surgery under Medicare Part B (Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act PL 99-210).

Physician Assistants: New Models of Utilization, edited by Zarbock and Harbert, is published.

APAP begins work on the "PA of the Year 2000" project that is completed in 1988 and reported to the membership at the annual meeting.

1987

The Physician Asssitant in a Changing Health Care Environment, by Schafft and Cawley, is published.

National PA Day, October 6th, established, coinciding with the anniversary of the first graduating class of PAs from the Duke University PA Program 20 years earlier and coincidentally the birthday of Dr. Eugene Stead, Jr. recognized as the founder of the PA profession.

New AAPA National Headquarters at 950 North Washington Street is built and occupied in Alexandria, VA.

AAPA contracts to publish Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants (JAAPA). The editor selected is first PA hired as AAPA professional staff.

Additional Medicare coverage of PA services in rural and underserved areas is approved by Congress.

1988  

First edition of the Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants (JAAPA) is published and distributed.

AAPA and APAP enter into a fixed-fee contractual arrangement for staffing services including a part-time Coordinator of APAP services employed by the AAPA.

1989

Newsletter Perspective on PA Education is published by APAP with Mike Hukabee, chair of the Membership Committee, as the editor.

Physician Assistants for the Future, an in-depth study of PA education and practice in the year 2000 is published by the APAP.

AAPA/APAP collaborate to publish A Guide for Institutions Interested in Creating New Physician Educational Programs.

Navy and Public Health Service PAs Commissioned

1990

NCCPA and AAPA assign a joint task force to develop the Pathway II recertification examination, a take-at-home version of the test.

The APAP revises and publishes the National Directory of Physician Assistant Programs, 1990-92 to help individuals interested in becoming physician assistants locate and apply to PA educational programs.