Closing Comments
Jay: We thank you for inviting us to be apart of this conversation. I know this first hand. You hung in there and had the hard conversations. A number of elephants were in the room and you tackled most of them.
We really enjoyed working with you! From us at InnovationLabs. If we can be of service to you in your organizations please let us know.
Bob: We've drafted up a preliminary statement to put on the web site. This is not an official organizational activity but it is supportive of the organizations.
We drafted up a summary. It's not verbatim but the top view is there.
The PA Clinical Doctorate Summit was held on March 25-27 in Atlanta, Georgia. The 45 participants represented a diverse group of practicing PAs, PA educators, PA students, physicians from allopathic and osteopathic medicine, workforce experts, and representatives of physical therapy, nursing, and other professions. The summit participants were charged to address the question, “Is the clinical doctorate appropriate to the profession as an entry-level degree, as a postgraduate degree, or not at all?”
The group proceeded from a set of core values for the PA profession, including the overarching importance of patient care, diversity in all aspects of PA education and practice, and the value of the physician/PA team.
The summit participants came to consensus on the following set of recommendations.
- The PA profession endorses the master’s degree as the single, entry-level, and terminal degree for the profession.
- The PA profession opposes the entry-level, PA-specific clinical doctorate.
- The PA profession supports advanced professional development and education, including the option of non-profession-specific postgraduate doctorates.
- The PA profession should explore with physician education groups the development of a model for advanced standing for PAs who desire to become physicians (sometimes called a “bridge program.”)
In preparation for the summit, participants reviewed a variety of materials, including research summaries of other health professions, commentary from PAEA’s Web site, and results of an on-line survey completed by over 5,000 physician assistants, students, and educators.
The summit was financially supported by AAPA and PAEA but the activities of the summit were independent of either organization. The summit was facilitated by Innovation Labs, a consulting firm with a wealth of experience in using creative and interactive activities to produce deliverables from group discussion processes.
Summit participants went through a series of activities designed to examine the issues from a variety of perspectives. They heard presentations about the doctor of nursing practice for nurse practitioners and the doctor of science in physician assistant studies by Baylor University and the U.S. Army. The group created a timeline of significant events for the profession and society. It explored scenarios for the future of the PA profession within the context of changes in health care. The group also explored clinical doctorates in other health professions and how those models might apply within the continuum of competence for the PA profession.
A detailed report of the summit will be produced and posted on the PAEA and AAPA Web sites within one week. The final recommendations will be sent to the PA professional organizations including AAPA, PAEA, NCCPA, APPAP, and SAAAPA for action. Highlights of the summit can be seen at www.innovationlabs.com/clinical_doctorate_summit. The Web site will be finalized over the next few days.
We intend to put this on our web sites today. There is nothing that prevents people from sending that link out to others. There was no intention for longitudinal activities. My own perspective is that we've been amazingly successful.
Cindy and I want to say thank you to everyone. It has confirmed my belief in the profession. We've been through a lot and grown up together. Thank you to InnovationLabs for what you've done. Our growing collaboration is wonderful.
The painful part is important and we are talking about pulling back the bow and making those personal connections. I'm so excited for what you do and this is why we have a great profession! Patient care is at the heart of what we do and thank you for keeping that front and center!
Thank you to the support staff too.