The American Academy of Physician Associates made several strides in 2025 to rebrand the PA profession and sunset the term “physician assistant.”
AAPA voted to adopt “physician associate” as the official title for the profession in 2021. The organization acknowledges, however, that a broader national rebranding at the state and federal levels could take a decade or longer. AAPA said the new title better reflects the job description of PAs and their role in the healthcare industry but noted it does not affect their scope of practice.
Physician groups such as the American Medical Association and American Osteopathic Association have opposed the effort, arguing that the title change will create confusion for patients about who is providing their care.
Five notes on where the rebranding stands:
1. Each state PA chapter is a separate entity that must determine whether to update its organization name and lobby for statutory changes to recognize the new title.
2. Thirty-two of AAPA’s 125 constituent organizations have rebranded, adopting the “physician associate” title in their formal name, documents, websites and other public-facing materials.
3. AAPA is also working with state chapters to pursue the title change in state legislatures. Three states have made statutory changes to officially rebrand the profession. Oregon became the first state to formally adopt the physician associate title in April 2024, followed by Maine this June and New Hampshire in July.
4. Several other states, including Ohio, New Jersey and Wisconsin, introduced similar bills this year to update the PA title.
5. AAPA does not recommend that PAs use the “physician associate” title in patient-facing, clinical settings unless permitted under state laws, employer policies and licensing board policies, among other legal obligations.
