Dr. Alan Heckman, DMSc, PA-C, PHPE, NCEE ADPA President-elect Graduate Program Director, Department of Medical Science Chair, Prehospital Medicine DeSales University One of the most common questions surrounding doctoral education for physician associates/assistants (PAs) is also one of the most practical: “Is it worth it?” For many, that question immediately becomes a financial one. Will the degree lead to a raise? Will it result in a promotion? Will the return on investment

Peter Yen, DMSc, MSHA, PA-C, LSSGB Leadership Begins Within Leadership is not simply a position; it is the ability to influence others toward a shared purpose. Research consistently demonstrates that emotional intelligence (EI) is one of the strongest predictors of effective leadership because it enhances communication, trust, resilience, conflict management, and organizational performance. Doctoral prepared physician associates and physician assistants (PAs) possess advanced

Marilyn Suri, DMSc, MPA, PA-C, FACHE About the Author: Marilyn Suri, DMSc, MPA, PA-C, FACHE is a pulmonary and critical care Physician Associate, Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, healthcare executive, educator, and national advocate for the PA profession. She serves as a Board of Director and Legislative Government Affairs Chair for the Florida Academy of PAs (FAPA) and as the Legislative Director for the Academy of Physician Associates in Legal Medici

A year in review…It does not seem possible that a year has passed since I assumed the Presidency of the Academy of Doctoral PAs. We have accomplished a lot over the past year within the organization and are growing significantly in our membership. We undertook a rewrite of our bylaws of the organization. Not an easy task, but necessary to align with a growing and dynamic organization was necessary. While maintaining a strong board of directors, we were able to elect new membe

Matt Bell, DMSc, PA-C, CAQ-HM Chief PA| Chief AI Officer| Process Improvement Specialist| Western North Carolina VA Health Care System A decision is being made about Physician Associates. The people in the room are thoughtful and well-intentioned. They are working through how PAs will be deployed, supported, and evaluated, and what role they should have in the larger system of care. The conversation is careful because everyone wants to get it right. One thing is missing from

Jessica Amburgey, DMS, MSPAS, PA-C, EM-CAQ Think back to the mentors who influenced your career. Chances are, many of them didn't have formal leadership titles. They were the people who answered your questions, shared their knowledge, advocated for their teams, and made their organizations better than they found them. Leadership takes many forms. Too often, leadership is viewed as something reserved for individuals with formal titles. The truth is, it begins when clinicians

A new Nature Medicine paper names a danger that lands on every table doctoral PAs sit at, and the window to lead it is open right now. Matt Bell, DMSc, PA-C, CAQ-HM -- Chief AI Officer, WNC VA Health Care System Author's Bio: Matt Bell, DMSc, PA-C, CAQ-HM, is a Physician Associate with nearly three decades in internal and hospital medicine who currently serves as Chief AI Officer and the Chief PA for the Western North Carolina VA Health Care System. He works at the intersecti

Matt Bell, DMSc, PA-C, CAQ-HM - Chief AI Officer, WNC VA Health Care System Author’s Bio: Matt Bell, DMSc, PA-C, CAQ-HM, is a Physician Associate with nearly three decades in internal and hospital medicine who currently serves as Chief AI Officer and the Chief PA for the Western North Carolina VA Health Care System. He works at the intersection of healthcare AI governance, clinical operations, and education, and is an accepted presenter at the upcoming 2026 PAEA Education For

Dear ADPA Members, On behalf of the Academy of Doctoral PAs, thank you for participating in the recent President-Elect election process. Your engagement, support, and willingness to make your voice heard reflect the strength and professionalism of this organization. ADPA was built on the belief that leadership matters, and member participation is what continues to move our mission forward. Every vote represents a commitment to the future of doctoral-trained PAs and the contin

1. What is your vision for the future of doctoral education for PAs, and how should the Academy lead that direction? Doctoral education for Physician Associates represents an important opportunity to support the continued growth and competitiveness of the profession within an evolving healthcare landscape. As healthcare continues to grow more complex, clinicians are increasingly asked to contribute not only through patient care but also through leadership, education, scholars

Munsell Platform Statements What is your vision for the future of doctoral education for PAs, and how should the Academy lead that direction? Doctoral education for physician associates (PA) must evolve beyond degree attainment toward measurable impact on patients, systems, and communities. As a doctorally trained PA with over four decades of clinical and educational experience, my vision is for doctoral preparation to become the standard pathway for advancing leadership, sch

Dear Colleagues, As our profession continues to evolve within an increasingly complex healthcare landscape, the upcoming elections for the Academy of Doctoral PAs (ADPA) and the American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) carry exceptional importance. These organizations shape how PAs are represented, how our voices are heard, and how our profession positions itself in the future delivery of healthcare. Your vote is one of the most powerful tools you have to influence tha

Peter Yen, DMSc, MSHA, PA-C, LSSGB CEO, Academy of Doctoral PAs I want to be clear about what’s at stake. These new federal student loan regulations, outlined in the Department of Education’s Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) final rule, are not just financial policy. They are workforce policy. And from where I sit, they move us in the wrong direction. Let’s ground this in the actual rule. The Department of Education, through its final regulations under the F

Dr. Marilyn Suri, DMSc, MPA, PA-C, MPLC The U.S. healthcare system is undergoing rapid transformation driven by provider shortages, increasing demand, and evolving regulatory requirements. The Association of American Medical Colleges projects a physician shortage of up to 86,000 by 2036, emphasizing the need to optimize all available healthcare providers. Physician Associates (PAs), with over 178,000 certified professionals in the United States as of 2024, represent one of

The Vital Role of Doctorally Trained PAs in Healthcare Leadership Abstract Healthcare systems face mounting pressures from rising costs, workforce shortages, value-based care mandates, and the need for integrated clinical and operational leadership. Traditional clinician-executive candidates, primarily physicians (MD/DO) and advanced practice nurses, have long filled these roles. However, a growing cohort of physician assistants (PAs) who hold post-professional doctoral degr

Erin E. Chalmers, DMSc, MSPAS, PA-C Nobody warned me in PA school that I'd one day be sitting in a legislative hallway, waiting to testify, rehearsing talking points about workforce data between patients I'd seen that morning. That's not in the curriculum. But maybe it should be. Kentucky's SB116 cleared both chambers this year — a win that took years of showing up, building relationships, and making the case that PA scope-of-practice modernization isn't a turf battle. It's a

Aisha Hussein, DMS, PA-C We are standing at a unique crossroads in the PA world: we are actively participating in our profession's maturity yet witnessing our career pathways struggle to keep pace with that evolution. In an era of artificial intelligence and the expectation to create faster than we can compensate, we feel the challenge of navigating a career that seems entirely tangible, yet structurally elusive at the same time. Professional equity or parity is something PAs

James C. Somers, PA-C, DHSc, DFAAPA James R. Kilgore, DEL, DMSc, PhD, PA-C, DFAAPA Arkansas Colleges of Health Education Introduction: A Workforce Crisis with Structural Constraints The United States is experiencing a sustained and worsening mental health crisis, characterized by increasing rates of psychiatric illness, suicide, and unmet need for care. Workforce shortages persist across psychiatry, psychology, counseling, and advanced practice providers, with significant geo

Alan Heckman, DMSc, PA-C Founding Program Director Doctor of Medical Science Program DeSales University As doctoral education continues to expand within the physician associate (PA) profession, many programs have focused on preparing clinicians for leadership, healthcare systems management, and organizational strategy. While these areas are critically important, another need within the profession is becoming increasingly clear: preparing clinicians to become effective educato