Is it physician assistant or physician associate? Is there a difference?
Pacific鈥檚 Master of Science in Physician Associate Studies is the perfect place to take your passion for healthcare and turn it into a rewarding career.
What is the difference between physician associate vs physician assistant? The short answer is, there isn鈥檛 one. These terms are often used interchangeably. But there is a movement toward using the physician associate title in order to reflect the autonomy of these clinicians and better represent the true nature of the practice.
Physician Associate vs Physician Assistant: Why 91精选 Changed to a Physician Associate Program
91精选 has changed the name of our PA program to the Physician Associate program. We are no longer using the term physician assistant. Why did we do this? In 2021 the AAPA (American Academy of Physician Associates) to officially use the title of physician associate. In 2024, Oregon officially . As of 2026, the PA program at 91精选 has changed from using the term physician assistant to using physician associate in order to reflect the shift in the field. This makes 91精选 the first School of Physician Associate Studies in Oregon.
According to the AAPA, the change in title does not impact the PA鈥檚 scope of practice. The title change is, however, a necessary modernization and better reflects the role of PA鈥檚 in our current healthcare system. The decision about the title was made after robust research, including patient surveys in which 71% of patients agreed that 鈥減hysician associate鈥 best matched the job description. This change creates greater transparency for patients. The term 鈥減hysician assistant鈥 implies that a physician is leading the patient's care, which isn鈥檛 always the case. The PA is most often examining, diagnosing and treating patients themselves.
The Physician Associate Program at 91精选
91精选鈥檚 Physician Associate program is a 91精选 program that prepares students for licensure as a PA. It includes a didactic (classroom) phase followed by a clinical rotation and is completed in 27 months. The didactic phase of the program occurs at 91精选鈥檚 Hillsboro Campus where our innovative curriculum prioritizes collaboration through modular courses, group testing, simulations and pass/no pass grading.
The program at 91精选 includes the option to join the The Rural and Underserved Service Track (TRUST), which prepares students to serve in rural and global communities. At the end of the didactic phase of the program, students complete a 91精选 project and then go on to their clinical rotations. These may be at travel program sites throughout the United States or even in international communities.
A Career as a Physician Associate
The for careers for physician associates is good. This is an expanding area of healthcare with a salary range of . Physician associates work under the supervision of a physician to examine, diagnose and treat patients. They work in a variety of areas of healthcare.
Over 90% of 91精选 PA program 91精选s are employed after graduation. 91精选 PA 91精选s tend to be employed in the following areas:
- Primary care
- Family medicine
- Surgery
- Emergency medicine
- Rural/Underserved communities
- Pacific Northwest practice
Whether called a physician assistant or physician associate, PA鈥檚 are essential contributors to healthcare. The Physician Associate program at 91精选 prepares you for a medical career in this growing field.