PAs in cardiology work in a wide variety of settings, including hospital inpatient units, group practices, emergency departments, and solo-physician offices. A growing concern is how to educate female patients that heart disease is a major concern for women, not just for men. In fact, heart disease is the number one killer of American women.

  • The PA Foundation has been an active supporter of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's Heart Truth campaign and its accompanying Red Dress program. To learn more about this effort to remind every woman to care for her heart, go to www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/hearttruth.
  • PAs interested in advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) training can use the online, case-based approach offered through eACLS. This is a customized course for health care professionals comprised of 10 case studies with live-action video clips, photos, and animations. The course is approved for up to 6 hours of Category I (preapproved) CME credit by AAPA. To learn more and enroll, go to www.aapa.org/cme and click on the link to Home Study programs.

Association of Physician Assistants in Cardiology (APAC)

APAC is a professional organization for PAs who practice in cardiology. Since being recognized as a specialty organization in 2003, APAC has made considerable progress toward its goal of becoming the resource for physician assistants in this specialty area.

  • As a specialty organization, APAC actively participates in the AAPA House of Delegates to ensure the representation of specialty groups. APAC is focusing on establishing closer ties with the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and encourages its members to become active members of the ACC as cardiac care associates.
  • APAC is supported largely through membership fees. Annual membership is $30 for fellow members and $10 for students. APAC encourages students to use the Web site to post questions about cardiology practice and requests for clinical rotation information or sites. The APAC Web site is open to all and does not have any restricted or members-only areas. The Web site provides information on job listings, cardiology-related CME, scope of practice, compensation, and the results of APAC's practice survey.

Association of PAs in Cardiology; c/o John Flesher; 8 Cricket Lane, Myerstown, PA 17067; Web: www.cardiologypa.org.


The role of PAs in nephrology and the management of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is well established. PAs can play a leading role in a variety of settings, such as dialysis units and anemia clinics, in providing primary care to patients with CKD and in preparing patients for renal replacement therapy.
  • AAPA has been actively involved in issues related to CKD by working with the National Kidney Foundation and other organizations. For example, in 2005, the Academy hosted a forum at its Virginia national office to increase awareness of organ and tissue donation. Representatives from 14 national health care groups participated in the program.
  • CKD is associated with diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. According to data collected by AAPA, PAs were responsible for nearly 16 million patient visits for diabetes and 8 million visits for congestive heart failure in 2005. To learn how the Academy works to improve the practice environment so PAs can work to their fullest extent, visit the Government and Professional Affairs page at www.aapa.org/gandp.

American Association of Nephrology Physician Assistants (AANPA)

AANPA is a specialty group whose members provide care for patients with CKD and those with end-stage renal disease on dialysis. In its 10th year, AANPA continues to be the primary vehicle for PAs in nephrology to interact with the renal community.

  • AANPA has grown from 10 PAs in 1996 to 200 today and has formal liaison relationships with the Renal Physicians Association (RPA), National Kidney Foundation (NKF), and American Society of Nephrology (ASN) through the sponsorship of AAPA.
  • l AANPA, Project Linus, and the NKF have supplied quilts to kids' camps since 2003 through the KIDney Quilts project. AANPA cosponsored a PA-NP-physician collaborative practice meeting in 2005 that received such a great response from attendees that the program will be repeated in 2006.
  • AANPA's CME chair sits on NKF, RPA, and AAPA committees. AANPA will present 10 lectures at AAPA's Annual PA Conference in San Francisco, on topics ranging from acid-base disorders to anemia in kidney disease to CKD management. Consider joining AANPA in its effort to improve kidney education for providers and their patients.