PAs in orthopedic surgery have been confused with another health profession that began about the same time as the creation of the physician assistant. AAPA has online services that can help clarify the differences.

  • A good place to start when educating clinical staff about the PA profession is the AAPA employer resource guide on the Web at http://www.aapa.org/joblink/employers.html. It contains a Guide for New PA Employers with information that would be helpful to the front office staff.
  • The credentialing department sometimes needs help figuring out whether someone is a PA. Employers can go to the American Medical Association Web site and order a credential verification report for PAs. To see a sample copy, go to https://profiles.ama-assn.org/amaprofiles/.
  • Orthopedic physician assistants (OPAs) are not physician assistants, as defined by state and federal law. To understand the differences, read the AAPA issue brief, Physician Assistants and Orthopedic Physician Assistants: The Distinctions. It is located on the Web at http://www.aapa.org/gandp/issuebrief/opas.pdf. Another AAPA issue brief describing how PAs practice with orthopedic surgeons is available at http://www.aapa.org/gandp/issuebrief/orthosurg.pdf.  

Physician Assistants in Orthopedic Surgery (PAOS)

PAOS, a professional organization for PAs who practice in orthopedics, provides a network to access job information, job listings, CME, and practice surveys and analysis.

  • AAPA‘s liaison to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) is an ad hoc member of the PAOS Board of Directors and communicates with orthopedists to provide information on the benefits of hiring PAs. PAOS is focusing on establishing a closer tie with AAOS, including planning a CME session for PAs during the AAOS annual meeting.
  • PAOS is supported largely through membership fees. A 1-year membership is $75 for fellow members and $25 for students. Memberships are also offered for non-PAs.
  • PAOS encourages student members to enter its scholarship competition. A scholarship of $500 is awarded to one or two students annually.
  • The PAOS Web site (www.paos.org) is the center of information and is updated frequently. The Members Only section of the site includes job listings, a search-able database of PAOS members, the PAOS newsletter, and the results of the practice survey.

PAs in Orthopedic Surgery
c/o Elizabeth Darr
PO Box 10781
Glendale, AZ 85318-0781
(800) 804-7267
E-mail: elizabeth.darr@cox.net
Web: www.paos.org

 PAs in urology play an important role in the delivery of health care because they spend a significant amount of time both treating and educating patients.

  • Are you uncertain what PAs in urology are allowed to do under state law? AAPA provides an up-to-date summary of state laws on its Web site. Find your state summary by going to http://www.aapa.org/gandp/statelaw.html. If there's a question about whether a third-party payer will reimburse a practice for the services you provide, research the state Private Payer Profiles at http://www./.
  • The field of urology sometimes overlaps with other specialties. Perhaps you need to brush up on the preoperative care of the kidney patient or review how to identify common dermatoses of the male genitalia. These are just some of the topics presented at AAPA annual conferences. Audiotapes of these and other CME presentations are available by going to http://www.aapa.org/cme and clicking on the word Conference.
  • As a relatively new organization, the Urology Association of PAs relied on various support services provided by AAPA. There are numerous services available to any specialty organization, ranging from assistance in leadership development and strategic planning to public relations programs and a resource library. To find out more, go to http://www.aapa.org/cor. 

Urology Association of Physician Assistants (UAPA)

UAPA has been officially recognized by the AAPA House of Delegates. The organization strives to meet the following goals:

  • Support AAPA's interest in recognizing the achievements of PAs in specialty practice
  • Establish and maintain liaisons with other professional groups that enhance the abilities of PAs in urology to deliver quality health care
  • Provide a professional arena for discussion of issues affecting PAs in urology
  • Become an active part of the American Urological Association and participate in its annual conference
  • Strengthen the PA profession by encouraging membership in this organization, the AAPA, and AAPA constituent chapters
  • Generate and maintain current demographic information for members on the scope of practice, work settings, and compensation for PAs in urology
  • Encourage PAs to research topics relating to the clinical or surgical aspects of urology for publication.

Urology Association of PAs
c/o Daniel Lamont, PA-C
11110 Medical Campus Rd, Ste 228, Urological Center
Hagerstown, MD 21742-6727
(888) 326-0022
E-mail: danlamontpac@aol.com.