Maine has officially become the second state to change the title of “physician assistant” to “physician associate,” according to a June 14 news release from the American Academy of Physician Associates.
Oregon was the first state to make the switch, passing a law in April that went into effect on June 6.
Maine’s bill was approved by the state legislature on June 2 and enacted on June 16, following two years of advocacy by the Maine Academy of Physician Associates.
“Every step we take forward — whether legislative title change, a PA program name update, or a CO embracing ‘physician associate’ as the current title —- brings us closer to ushering in a new era of our profession where misconceptions about PAs’ abilities will not hinder efforts to modernize PA practice,” AAPA President and Chair of the Board Jason Prevelige said in the release.
The AAPA first voted to adopt “physician associate” as the official title for the profession in 2021.
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