The PA Trojan Horse
- First, you change your name: from Physician Assistant to Physician Associate. You will notice that the ad only uses “PA”.
- Second, somehow create a “doctorate” online in a year because that seems valid.
- Third, call yourself a doctor.
- Fourth, state you are only trying to keep up with the NPs
- Fifth, claim you do the same work as doctors.
- Six, pay off legislators to gain independence.
- Seven, promise to work in rural areas.
- Eight, embellish and publish bogus studies similar to what the NPs did showing you are able to diagnose a strep throat or UTI as well as doctors.
This is the modern-day Trojan Horse.
This is coming your way soon. If you don’t fight back then it is your fault.
(Feel free to comment. We expect one particular PA, who runs a large online community of other PAs, will vomit some garbage here momentarily. Don’t believe his BS.)
I am not competent to comment on the specifics of this issue but about its defining context I think it pertinent to point out that the AMA has been collaborating with American medical schools for over a century to limit the number of MDs graduated, thus to keep the wages of doctoring high. This is well documented, for instance, in Christy Ford Chapin, Ensuring America’s Health: The Public Creation of the Corporate Health Care System (Cambridge University Press, 2015).
As a direct result of this long-standing policy, today about one third of MDs practicing in America are emigrants educated overseas, who left behind the health of their families and neighbors to fend for themselves while they transfered their practices, and allegiances (such as they are) to these greener pastures and their more lucrative rewards.
In view of this, I remark that Trojan Horses are constructed and used to breach walled cities.
Physician, heal thyself.
I have no idea how this relates but you got to show how smart you are so good for you. If you ever read this blog you would realize how much we hate the AMA.
Eventually- there will be a 2-tier system. Those with money will be able to see a physician. Those without will have to do with mid-levels and luck.
I fear we are already there.
Who proves the validity of this new online doctorate?
Or does this represent a final break from the medical profession? Does the curriculum advance anything except PA power?
A one year online doctorate is a new low and an insult to every MD DO and PhD. Way to lower the bar, PA profession
I expect better from Authentic Medicine. Your articles are usually interesting and at time humous to read with commentary on insurance, and changes in medicine. Your hit piece on my profession Physician Associate, PA’s is surprising and cowardly as you have no authors listed! Mr. Mittmans retort is spot on there are many professions who attain Doctorate level education but you attack PA’s as if we are the only group to seek higher education. I see adds daily for chiropractor’s in internal medicine specialist, pediatrics, neurology, orthopedics but crickets from you on this subject .
I would hope you would have the integrity to take a look at PA education and be honest . I am currently working in Neurosurgery for the past 38 years with some of the world leaders in the field who respect me and ask my opinion on issues, we work as a team but the Neurosurgeon is the boss! Having a Doctorate does not change that but, enhances ones eduction to provide better patient care. Your anger hostility is in error and demeans your self.
See points #9 and #11. Still a Trojan Horse and nothing you said refutes that.
“Having a Doctorate does not change that but, enhances ones eduction to provide better patient care.”
Hmm, how exactly does an online “doctor” degree enhance patient care? All the bullshit online modules I’ve had to slog through over the years have only increased my resentment and fatigue, while diminishing my wallet, but never made me a better clinician.
TOO LATE,HORSE IS OUT OF THE BARN!!
I have been a PA-C for 45 years.I have a BS DEGREE. When I graduated in 1976 a PA studemt could get a Medex certificate from Washington state, An associates degree,A BS or a Masters. I knew then with Degree creep that every program would become a Masters and 10 yrs after that a PhD. EVERYTHING IS A BUSINESS MODEL.. Every admin person builds their little Empire. That is just the way it goes..
I Am A PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT-CERTIFIED.MY JOB is to handle the routine things my supervising physician does there by allowing my supervising physician time to take care of his more difficult patients improve access to care and MAYBE have time for Family,CME, Vacations,time off,hobbies… The Ideal that was how it was supposed to be.. Instead I was utilized as a Cheap MD.. PRACTICALLY EVERY position.. Family Practice, ER, Urgent Care, Had a good mentor with a chronic pain physician for a year.After I departed he hired 2 NP’s to do the same job I did.Cost him more than just my salary demand…Fun job..All my positions as a PA-C are Fun.
I learn new stuff every day, Most of my Supervising Physicians lived down to my expectations. Obviously the fault was with my expectations…..LOL. Now you whine about COMPETITION..You CANNOT HANDLE THE
COMPETITION OF PA’s and NP’s??? The major corporations that moved in with billions of dollars and took Medicine away from you.The RNs who became admin people and piled crap on top of You!! YOU ASKED FOR IT.. YOU GOT IT. Just cause you are PHYSICIAN’s DOES NOT MEAN YOU GET ANY RESPECT..THAT YOU MUST EARN EVERY DAY WHILE YOUR FELLOW PHYSICIANS ARE TEARING YOU DOWN… Sorry ..it happens..
Jesse Belville,PA-C
So, I am an MD, and I don’t disagree with anything you said. Where we are is our fault.
Thanks for the reminders. Will add to the list:
Nine, claim to be a victim over and over again.
Ten, feel that you are entitled.
Eleven, state every other profession is doing it.
Twelve, claim the doctorate was only for teaching purposes.
Thirteen, repeat that this is only to be educated to your highest level.
Fourteen, accuse doctors who oppose this that they are affecting patient career.
Fifteen, cry that doctors are petty and just trying to protect their income.
Thanks for the help, Dave!!
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 burn 🔥
A few facts. If it was me you expected, I took you up on it.
Secondly, the community was sold for a nice profit and is no longer active.
Third, I am giving you my personal opinion, which in your usual evidenced-based way, you have decided would be garbage before you even read it. Tells me how fair and unbiased you are. But I will try to give you another side. Maybe some of your members with some fairness will read with an open mind. Never know? After all hundreds of thousands of your colleagues have chosen to work arm and arm with PAs daily. Hire them. Make them partners. We can’t be all bad, or else your colleagues are all in a conspiracy to make you look foolish.
PAs are entitled to get a doctorate as now, all other healthcare professions professions do. It’s not mandated, it’s elective and varies in its concentration.
Did you notice that OTs, PTs, Pharmacists, chiropractors, oriental medicine doctors, psychologists, athletic trainers, audiologists and ten other professions get doctorates when they graduate? NPs still don’t but have said they will mandate. many others do. You have not gotten together and said a word about any of them except the NP. Why? It looks like you don’t want PAs learning and being the best they can be. Sad. And foolish.
This is a post-graduate course for PAs. The PA calling him or herself a doctor in the announcement is doing it academically as they are the Department Chair and have a doctorate. Is that forbidden in your rules also? It’s not a newspaper ad. Last Sunday I did see ads in my paper for Doctor of Oriental Medicine and a Chiropractic Neurologist!. Full page ads. Calling themselves doctor. But you only choose the PA? PLEASE…….Is the profession supposed to stand still while all professions, some who can not Dx, and few who can rx, get “doctorally prepared”. Including NPs. Just stand and watch others when PA training includes a year of internship that averages 60 hours a week? Not putting down anyone else, but if you meet a student at 2 am in the ER it will be a physician or PA, possibly an NP. How about an emergency medicine PT student suturing up a laceration at midnight, or a graduate OT on call coming in at 3 am to first-assist on a by-pass. C’Mon guys. Let’s get real. PAs are not and never have looked to shirk their responsibilities, and they have been your quiet partner for years. When you want to concentrate in a certain area you go back to school. Why not go for a doctorate? When you do a residency in ortho, or emergency medicine at Baylor, or a fellowship at Mayo-all on the same level of a physician (not the same length)-should you decline a doctorate? Baylor gives a number to PAs. The DO schools have four? postgraduate PA doctorates. How about the PA who does a 2 year residency in emergency medicine years after they graduate and have already practiced? Not take a doctorate for that training? I am sure the hours put in more than equal the hours needed for your doctorate. Do your homework and see the more than 10 healthcare professions who give one upon graduation, not on a post-graduate level. Yet you pick the PA as the one who must be at fault.
In some cases, PAs have lost teaching, clinical and administrative jobs to others only because they did not do this postgraduate work.
Say what you want but all you are doing is pushing PAs away. And if that’s your intent (instead of having the best trained people around you as members of the team) you are doing a damn good job. Keep pushing. It will hurt patients and hate never works.
We will survive and do well.
Your intentions are misplaced. Medicine has changed. If you want to be the leader, don’t tear down people trying to better themselves. It’s petty and shows your true intentions.
Respectfully,
Dave