A quarter-century of JAAPA: 
A long, remarkable journey

It's amazing to realize that as 2012 begins, we are celebrating JAAPA's 25th anniversary. During my 8 years as the Journal's editor in chief, I used one guiding principle more than any other: when writing for PAs in JAAPA, it is crucial to distinguish between what the reader needs to know and what the writer wants to say. Sometimes this distinction is a small one—that is, the specific information the author wants to provide is what PAs need to know to stay current and improve their clinical practice. Sometimes, however, there may be a great deal to say, but only a small portion of it is relevant to the reader. I found this "need-to-know" approach, whether in my own writing or when evaluating manuscripts, to be a very helpful way to evaluate the Journal's content. To honor JAAPA's 25-year accomplishment, I have several things that I think you need to know and a few more that I want to say.


JAAPA's readership surveys have consistently shown, first and foremost, that PA readers want information they can use. In order to meet that expectation, the editorial board continually evaluates, with considerable input from the peer reviewers, what information is needed by a "typical" JAAPA reader. Initially, the typical reader was a PA in primary care or family practice, but over time that reader became less typical, reflecting changes in the demographics of PAs. For several years now, AAPA census data have shown that more PAs are practicing in specialties and that the percentage who practice in primary care has decreased.¹ 


So how can JAAPA continue to meet the informational needs of the readers who make up its changing demographic? Four national PA organizations produced "Competencies for the Physician Assistant Profession," a document adopted as policy by the House of Delegates in 2005; it describes competencies that all physician assistants, regardless of specialty or practice setting, are expected to acquire and maintain throughout their careers.² Since that time, JAAPA has categorized its articles according to these core competencies. But as more PAs work in specialty practices, they most likely will be using that specialty's professional journals to keep up to date. The JAAPA editorial board will continue to be challenged by these changes when selecting content and determining how to move the Journal forward. 


The Internet is now where much of the world obtains most of its information, and the Web and mobile delivery channels represent a never before seen opportunity to both disseminate and obtain clinical information. Especially over the past 10 years, JAAPA has participated in this rapid expansion of information through its own Web site and its growing use of social media. The JAAPA Web site is more than just an archive of what appears in the print journal, and the growth opportunities for the Journal represented by the Web are both exciting and challenging. It seems inevitable that one day, medical publishers will no longer use paper and the US Postal Service to distribute their journals. In the meantime, JAAPA's editorial board will continue to focus energy on how to best use its Web site to meet the informational needs of our profession.


Editors in chief usually leave their personal stamp on the journals they oversee. I am a strong believer in the value of the humanities and their application to medical practice and journalism. PAs are far more than just clinicians. They need to nurture their abilities of observation, empathy, and self-reflection—skills that are essential for humane medical care. I think it's also valuable for PAs to have a place to share their experiences—a journal of their own. I am especially pleased to have helped develop the Humane Medicine, Day in the Life, and Emergency Medicine Notes departments in JAAPA.


JAAPA is at a crossroads as we celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2012. My predecessor, Leslie Kole, who founded the Journal back in 1988, handed me a remarkable publication that she created and developed over 17 years. One of JAAPA's primary distinctions is that it's the only peer-reviewed journal specifically and only for PAs. Our profession needs and should have its own journal; our readership surveys tell us that, too. The future choices made by the editorial board about JAAPA's direction will be based on the shifting demographics of the profession and its changing informational needs, but the focus will always be on keeping the content relevant whether it is delivered in an article or through social media; in print, online, or on a mobile device. JAAPA has come a long and remarkable way in the past quarter-century. I can't help but wonder what it will look like when celebrating its 50th year! JAAPA


REFERENCES


1. American Academy of Physician Assistants. Physician assistant census report. Results from the 2010 AAPA census. http://www.aapa.org/uploadedFiles/content/Common/Files/2010_Census_
Report_Final.pdf. Accessed December 8, 2011.


2. Competencies for the physician assistant profession. http://www.nccpa.net/pdfs/Definition%
20of%20PA%20Competencies%203.5%20for%20Publication.pdf. Accessed December 8, 2011.