07/27/2026
The Future of Our Profession Will Be Decided by Those Who Show Up
There are moments in every profession when standing on the sidelines will impede progress.
For Ohio PAs, that moment is now.
The decisions made in the Ohio General Assembly over the next several years will determine whether our profession continues to advance or whether outdated laws and entrenched interests dictate the future of PA practice.
OAPA is fighting for legislation that modernizes PA practice, removes barriers that no longer serve patients, ensures PAs can practice closer to the full extent of our education and experience, and describes our work and contribution using a more accurate job title. These are not abstract policy debates. They are decisions that affect every PA who cares for patients in Ohio.
But legislation is never won because the arguments are good alone. It is won because people are united behind them and believe in their profession.
That is why the OAPA Annual Conference matters.
This August, we are not simply gathering for CME. We are gathering to strengthen the one thing no lobbyist, opponent, or special interest can manufacture: a profession united by a common purpose. Help make Ohio the premier state for PA practice.
The reality is simple. There are physician organizations in Ohio with greater financial resources, deeper political relationships, and a different vision for the future of healthcare in Ohio. Many continue to resist reforms that would allow PAs to contribute even more to meeting Ohio's growing healthcare needs. They are organized. They are well funded. They are persistent.
We as Ohio PAs must become all three.
Every PA who attends the Annual Conference adds another voice to our collective message. Every conversation strengthens our strategy. Every new member, every volunteer, every advocate makes it harder to ignore the 7,200+ PAs who deliver high quality care to patients across this state every day.
Our strength has never been found in a single leader or a single bill. It has always been found in ordinary PAs willing to do something simple: show up when the moment comes and stand together for a profession they believe in.
The conference is where we will align around our legislative priorities, prepare for the work ahead, and ensure every member understands not only where we are going, but how we will get there. Success at the Ohio Statehouse will not come from the Government Affairs Committee. It will come from OAPA members who are prepared, persistent, and united.
The history of our profession teaches us that it advances when everyday PAs refuse to accept that "good enough" is good enough.
Progress belongs to those who organize, who engage, and who show up when it matters most.
This August, show up.
Show up for the colleague whose practice is limited by outdated laws.
Show up for the PA student deciding whether Ohio is the place to build a career.
Show up for the patients who deserve access to the highly trained PAs who care for them every day.
And show up because the future of our profession will not be written by those who oppose us.
It will be determined by the incredible everyday PAs who are willing to show up and stand together.
Matthew Freado, MBA, PA-C, is the Government Affairs Committee Chair of the Ohio Association of Physician Assistants and also serves as Region 4 Director.
The Government Affairs Committee supports the profession through advancing PA legislative priorities and removing barriers to practice. Please consider sharing your story about how PA practice law impacts you and providing financial support to advance PA advocacy via the OAPA Legislative Fund or OAPA Political Action Committee.
Keep up with the latest on our advocacy page, or contact us at oapa@ohiopa.com.