There was an interesting confluence of news items in the March 30th issue of AAPA News. Perhaps you noticed it too. One headline announced the passing of Malcolm Beinfield, MD, and another highlighted the opening of the Eugene A. Stead, Jr. Center for Physician Assistants in Durham, NC. These two events—one sad, one celebratory—seem very much connected in my mind, even though Dr. Beinfield's contribution to the PA profession began 30 years ago and the opening of the Stead Center was in February of this year. But first, a bit of PA history.