CONTRIBUTORS:
Colette Jeffery, M.A., Research Analyst
Dawn Morton-Rias, EdD, PA-C, President and CEO
Sheila Mauldin, M.N.M., Vice President of Exam Development and Administration
Ragan Cohn, C.A.E., Vice President, Governance & Communications
PUBLISHED IN 2016 | NCCPA
KEYWORDS: Physician Assistant/Associate, PA Workforce Data
INFORMATION:
Message from the President and CEO
As the PA profession’s certification body, we believe that all people should have access to affordable, high quality health care and that certified PAs are vital to the delivery of that care. We work to support certified PAs and their patients by advancing the credibility and capabilities of the PA workforce through certification and recertification processes that reflect standards of knowledge, skills and behaviors required upon entry into practice and throughout the PA career. The work of the certification body complements that of the educational programs that prepare PA students for entry to practice and that of medical education program providers that offer continuous professional development activities. Together we are advancing the multiplying force of certified PAs working in collaboration with physicians across the health care landscape to make affordable, high quality care more accessible. From rural health clinics to urban hospitals, from Alaska to Florida, in the US and abroad, certified PAs are meeting the needs of patients whatever and wherever they may be.
This report documents the current state of PA practice in terms of geographic distribution, practice patterns and demographic characteristics. Our hope is that those who develop policies, make hiring decisions and report on matters related to health care and health care providers will find this and other NCCPA reports and to be indispensable resources on the growing PA profession.
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About the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA)
The National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) is the only certifying organization for the over 168,000 PAs in the United States. The PA-C credential is awarded by NCCPA to PAs who fulfill certification, certification maintenance and recertification requirements. NCCPA also administers the Certificate of Added Qualifications (CAQ) program for experienced, Board Certified PAs practicing in ten (11 in 2025) specialties. For more information, visit https://www.nccpa.net.
(DOI LINK)