There are approximately 40,500 physician assistants — licensed health professionals who practice medicine under the supervision of a physician — in clinical practice across the country.
On Sunday, Oct. 6, they will be honored during National PA day for the quality care they provide to millions of Americans. Oct. 6 commemorates the day the first physician assistants graduated from Duke University in North Carolina in 1967.
What is a PA?
Physician assistants are licensed health professionals who practice medicine as delegated by their supervising physicians. PAs deliver a board range of medical and surgical services to diverse populations in rural and urban settings.
What a physician assistant does varies with training, experience and state laws. In general PAs can provide approximately 80 percent of the services typically provided by a family physician. As part of their comprehensive responsibilities, PAs conduct physical exams, diagnose and treat illnesses, order and interpret tests, counsel on preventive health care, assist in surgery and prescribe medications.
PA activities at UNMC
At UNMC, the PA Class of 2004 held a Food and Household Supplies Drive during the week of Sept. 30th through Oct. 4th in recognition of National PA Day. The drive was held over the lunch hour outside the Nebraska Café and in the Wittson Hall entrance. Various personal and food items were accepted, including toothpaste, toothbrushes, toilet paper, razors, soap, shampoo, mouthwash, combs, hair ties, washcloths, paper towels, and all types of non-perishable food. The items will be donated to the Sienna/Francis and Lydia Houses of Omaha. Donations also may be dropped off at Annex 1 until the afternoon of Monday, Oct. 7. The PA class also gave away Hershey’s Hugs with notes telling everyone to hug a PA in honor of their National Day.
UNMC’s PA program
There are about 120 students enrolled in UNMC’s PA program and about 20 UNMC graduates working as PAs across campus in such areas as family medicine, pediatrics, geriatrics, emergency medicine, surgery, psychiatry, internal medicine, oncology/hematology, and bone marrow transplant.
UNMC’s program boasts a consistently high pass rate on National Board Certification Examinations and is recognized as one of the top 10 master’s degree physician assistant programs by the U.S. News and World Report’s America’s Best Graduate Schools. For more information, visit
UNMC’s PA Web site or the American Academy of Physician Assistants Web site.