Iowa has become the fourth state to legally change the “physician assistant” job title to “physician associate.”
On April 9, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a bill into law granting the revised title. The legislation does not change the scope of practice for PAs.
Maine, New Hampshire and Oregon have also enacted this title change, according to the American Academy of Physician Associates.
“The ‘physician associate’ title better reflects the responsibilities PAs carry, the depth of our education and training, and the critical role we play in caring for millions of patients across all medical specialties and settings,” AAPA President and Chair, Todd Pickard, DMSc, said in an April 13 statement. “This is a meaningful milestone for the profession, and we look forward to continuing to build upon this momentum.”
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