Malignant Mischaracterizations

 If you are a proud and engaged PA, chances are you would be intolerant and very critical of the recurring mischaracterizing narrative about our profession. This growing anti-PA narrative seeks to sow doubt in the patients’ minds mostly by disparaging our highly studied/documented great patient care outcomes across the board through the past 54 years.

Stopping this malignant spread of interprofessional bigotry will require the commitment of many if not all of the members of the PA community. We must not only be alarmed but morally concerned --if not outraged-- about the long-term negative ramifications this may pose to our standing in the healthcare industry. Personally and professionally after 34 years of practice, I have never been more alarmed and concerned about what I am seeing take place in the marketplace these days

Our work history and our Industry credibility speak for themselves when it comes to delivering the highest competent patient care as it has been shown study after study. 

But most importantly, we don't have a moment to lose. And if you think about it, we are at a crucial crossroads determining the battle for our survivability. Make no mistake, about this: our fate is in our hands--not in the AAPA’s. Moreover, we still remain “brandless” to most Americans. It is very clear, we still are viewed as a subservient professional class to the various physician communities. Even the mainstream media has failed to be objective when it comes to describing the Physician Assistant community's contributions to the industry. 

And it is up to every one of us to get active and vocal by joining together and educating, all while advocating for our very own cause. I do believe that we should entertain the idea of creating a PA Watchdog organization to secure our own vested interests given the current anti-PA climate and rhetoric being spewed these days.. Naturally, coming together to see this shared vision come to fruition will help police those seeking to erect barriers or foster industry inequities by eliminating all prejudicial interprofessional ignorance. 

Do not allow your peers or yourself to be silenced or marginalized. It is simple to see, we