Celebrating PA Week with Angel Adams and Kiara Marmolejos

Written by Angel Adams and Kiara Marmolejos as part of the Social Mission Alliance #FutureFeatureFriday series.

Ending PA Week with purpose! ??? It was an honor to present our Health Equity Scholar Guide at the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) Represent Summit in Atlanta. We are reflecting on an incredible time at the NCCPA Represent Summit and grateful for the inspiring conversations and connections made with leaders in diversity! Connecting with students, new grads, program directors, and national leaders on the importance of supporting diversity in PA training and workforce was refreshing and empowering. Meeting inspiring individuals and discussing how we can support the next generation of PAs during challenging times was invaluable. Together, we’re shaping a future of inclusivity to make sure all students have the access and the support to enjoy a rewarding career such as physician associate studies.

In celebration of PA Week, we’re reflecting on our energizing experience at the NCCPA conference. Here are some memorable moments with the inspiring leaders we had the honor to meet and reconnect with. For PA Week, we shine a spotlight on those who serve as role models for PA students and new grads alike.

We had the privilege of engaging with some of the brightest minds in the PA field—trailblazers advocating for a diverse and well-rounded workforce that truly reflects our communities. Their commitment to fostering diversity in PA education is paving the way for a brighter future.

PA History

The (PA) profession emerged out of the nation's need to increase primary care providers in underserved areas in efforts to improve access to care and health outcomes in those communities. The prototype practitioner on whom Eugene Stead, Jr., MD, based his concept of the physician assistant (PA) was Henry Lee “Buddy” Treadwell, who served as a military corpsman and was trained by Amos N. Johnson, MD. Early diversity in the profession began when Prentiss Harrison became the first black graduated from Duke University's PA program in 1968, followed by Joyce Nichols (the first female PA and first black female PA) in 1971 (LeLacheur, Barnett, & Straker, 2015).

The National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) oversees the certification of physician assistants in the United States. This organization plays a crucial role in promoting high standards of care within the profession and ensuring public safety. The NCCPA, though it is just the certifying body, has expressed support for diversity within the PA workforce and called attention to alarming trends in student demographic data which sets precedent for accountability within the profession.

We thank the NCCPA president Dawn Morton-Rias Ed.D, PA-C, ICE-CCP, FACHE , for creating spaces for PA professionals to discuss best practices and navigate doing the work within institutions. Data that reveals patients have better outcomes when they see providers who reflect their backgrounds. Additionally, non-white physician assistants and those who speak multiple languages are more likely to practice in Health Professional Shortage Areas. We are excited to witness PA leadership actively working to advance diversity —this is exactly what our profession and our growing communities need!

Photo below (L-R): Ayana PA-C, Nicole Burwell, Ph.D, PA-C,DFAAPA , Jacqueline Barnett, DHSc, PA-C; Angel Adams , PA-S; Alicia Bolden, DMSc, MPH, PA-C; Dawn Morton-Rias Ed.D, PA-C, ICE-CCP, FACHE ; Donna Felecia Murray, DMSc., MS,PA-C ; & Daytheon Sturges, PhD, MPAS, PA-C, DFAAPA, MCHES?

Health Equity Scholar Guide

We were ecstatic to present our Health Equity Scholar Guide project and survey. Our goal is to create a comprehensive guidebook for health professional training students, providing insights into the social and cultural dynamics within various institutions. This survey was designed by students, for students, to foster support systems and connect individuals to broader organizations like the Social Mission Alliance , especially for those who may feel isolated during their training.

This tool identified several students who were displeased with their HPTI. Subsequent dialogue about the tool provided an organic mechanism to:

1. Voice their concerns
2. Receive peer to peer support
3. Brainstorm with peers on how to cope with their concerns

Through this guide, we also aim to identify schools that can share best practices with other institutions. As we navigate an increasingly challenging landscape—particularly with the recent wave of legislation regarding diversity in medicine—fostering a sense of safety and community will be more critical than ever.

PA Diversity

The PA profession has seen a significant shift in gender representation, with women now making up 74.2% of PAs compared to just 23.9% in 1975. While this change is encouraging, the proportion of PAs identifying as Black/African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, or “other” races has declined. Notably, the number of Black matriculants has not kept pace with population growth or the overall number of applicants.

According to NCCPA statistics and a recent study by Tami Ritsema and Howard Straker on the racial and ethnic diversity of PA program graduates from 2010 to 2012 and 2019 to 2021, PA programs continue to lag behind MD/DO and APRN schools in diversity of student body. This trend is likely to persist, especially following the recent Supreme Court decision, unless program directors and PA leaders actively work to foster inclusion and implement holistic admissions processes (2024).

Historically, PAs were often individuals in second careers, bringing valuable life experience to the field. This perspective should be a key consideration for PA admissions committees. Our patients deserve a well-rounded and diverse healthcare workforce. We are committed to raising awareness about the PA profession among youth to enhance accessibility and encourage future generations to enter this fulfilling career.

Accessibility and awareness about the PA profession are crucial for increasing diversity within our field. Let’s spread the word about how rewarding it is to be a PA! This PA Week, consider sharing your experiences with younger students. You can make a real impact by participating in the NCCPA Back to School program.? It’s vital to raise awareness among our youth early on so they can prepare for the rigorous prerequisites needed to enter PA programs. By doing this, we can give them a leg up as they approach high school and college. Let’s inspire the next generation of PAs and pay it forward!

Back2School Program

NCCPA’s Back 2 School program is an on-going initiative that encourages Board Certified PAs to speak to elementary, middle, high school and pre-PA students about the PA profession as a potential career path.

The program’s goals are to:

• Increase awareness of the profession. It’s important for youth to know what a PA is, as they will likely see a PA for their medical care at some point.
• Introduce the profession as an achievable career choice to students at an early age, allowing them to plan and prepare. Certain pre–requisites are required or preferred by PA programs, so the earlier that students can begin preparing and focusing their studies and courses, the better!
• Increase diversity of the profession. NCCPA is committed to increasing diversity in the PA profession. A more diverse health care workforce improves patient satisfaction and outcomes. Introducing the PA profession as a career option to students in racial and ethnic minority groups is a great way to make an impact in this initiative.
• Help develop a pipeline of PAs to meet the country’s health care demands. There is a projected shortage of 124,000 physicians by 2034. PAs are prepared to step up and fill this gap in order to provide high quality, accessible care to patients.
• Draw interest in PA profession through HBCU outreach efforts.

NCCPA Summit Takeaways

After two excellent days filled with thoughtful conversations, personal experiences, and energizing panels and guest speakers, we concluded the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) summit with a visit to the Civil Rights Museum in Atlanta, Georgia.? As Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world...”

We are grateful for the Social Mission Alliance network, the NCCPA, and our mentors Robert Rock, MD , and Daniel J. Tounsel III, NP, MPA, JD for allowing us the space to reach more PA students with our survey.

The PA profession has a responsibility to improve diversity within its ranks for the sake of better patient health outcomes. The PA profession, which trains healthcare providers in just two years, has a unique opportunity to diversify the healthcare workforce. A diverse workforce enhances the ability to understand and address the unique needs of various communities, ultimately leading to more equitable and effective care.

We are looking forward to the next NCCPA Represent Summit. Together, we can forge the future that our patients deserve!

?“Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others”

“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”

Happy PA Week!

The Social Mission Alliance would like to thank Angel Adams and Kiara Marmolejos for their devotion to social mission and for sharing their experiences in celebration of PA Week.