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11/20/2025

10 PA Title Change Myths: OAPA Responds to Opposition Testimony

Title Change in Ohio

The opposition has been heard, but their claims fail to counter the straightforward fact that modernizing the PA title from "Physician Assistant" to "Physician Associate" enhances clarity for patients without changing PA scope, supervision, or pay.

The past month has been one of the most pivotal and energizing periods yet in advancing the PA title change effort in Ohio.

After a successful Ohio PA Advocacy Day, several opportunities for supportive testimony, nearly 1,000 messages sent from Ohio PAs and students to their legislators, and visible support from both PA and physician leaders, the conversation around PA Title Change has intensified.

The latest hearing of HB 353 in the Ohio House Health Committee heard testimony from opponents, including several physician groups, a few medical students, and a representative from an organization that appears to have no publicly available profile or verifiable presence online.

Collectively, their claims are misleading, and it is essential to set the record straight. Here’s what the PA title change truly means for patients and the profession.

1. Opponents said:

“The term assistant has been used for decades.”

We say:

Longevity is not a compelling justification for keeping a title that no longer reflects reality. Health care evolves, and professional titles must evolve with it. Assistant fails to capture today’s rigorous PA education, national certification, state licensure, and complex responsibilities. Updating to Associate improves accuracy, transparency, and public understanding.

2. Opponents said:

“Changing from Assistant to Associate implies professional elevation, equivalency to a physician, and independence."

We say:

How can it mean all of those things simultaneously? Associate simply and correctly describes the advanced medical training and collaborative role of PAs. The profession has evolved, as has the terminal degree. Associate better aligns with this master’s-level education and medical competencies PAs already possess. Assistant implies minimal training and limited capability. Importantly, patients agree: in a national survey, 71% said “Physician Associate” matches the job description of a PA.

3. Opponents said:

“This is legislation in search of a problem.” ...but also... "Patients are already confused about the PA profession and this will make it worse."

We say:

Which is it? If patients are confused, then this legislation is not “in search of a problem.” It is a direct response to an existing one. Clarifying terminology is one of the simplest ways to strengthen patient understanding and improve team communication.

4. Opponents said:

“We need to preserve titles and protect roles.”

We say:

Protecting titles should serve patients, not professional turf. Supporting a title that accurately reflects the current PA role enhances clarity, improves communication, and helps patients understand who is delivering their care. Title preservation should not be used to protect professional territory.

5. Opponents said:

“The new title will be confused with ‘Associate Physicians’.”

We say:

“Associate Physician” is not a standardized title and is not recognized in Ohio law. The term for a person who has graduated from medical school but has not completed a residency varies wildly by state, lacks unified credentialing, has no national regulatory framework, and carries no consistent reimbursement structure. It adds confusion, not clarity. In contrast, Physician Associate is the nationally recognized title formally adopted by the PA profession and is being implemented consistently across states. It maintains the same abbreviation (PA) and does not change licensure, scope, or supervisory requirements.

6. Opponents said:

“In the United Kingdom, they’re moving from physician associate to physician assistant.”

We say:

The UK’s PA profession is fundamentally different: their PA programs have different prerequisites and different accreditation standards, and UK PAs are not prescribers and cannot order the full scope of diagnostic tests. Drawing parallels ignores key regulatory and training differences. The United States PA profession should be guided by United States education, United States standards, and United States patient expectations, not defined by an unrelated healthcare system across the Atlantic.

7. Opponents said:

“PAs don’t always identify themselves.”

We say:

Ohio law already requires PAs to identify themselves clearly, and it is already standard practice for PAs to identify themselves when greeting patients. This requirement remains unchanged. Any provider who fails to follow existing law is already out of compliance, regardless of title. The title update does not weaken transparency.

8. Opponents said:

“PAs want expanded scope of practice.”

We say:

HB 353 does not change scope, licensure, supervision requirements, or prescribing authority, nor does it guarantee any expedited opportunity to pursue future practice legislation. This bill only updates the professional title to reflect the work PAs already perform. HB 353 seeks no new powers and no expanded autonomy, just clearer language.

9. Opponents said:

“PAs want higher pay.”

We say:

There is no expectation of increased compensation. The title change is not tied to salary or reimbursement. It is about accuracy, not economics. The work PAs do is already established; the title should accurately match that work.

10. Opponents said:

“Medical students have a rigorous training pathway to becoming a physician, and patients will think that PAs have that same training if they become Associates instead of Assistants.”

We say:

Medical students do undergo rigorous training, and PA students do as well, albeit on a shorter pathway. But comparisons to physician education are irrelevant. PAs are not claiming to be physicians. The title change makes clear that PAs are highly trained, licensed providers; neither assistants performing menial tasks nor physicians. If PAs were physicians, they would simply be called physicians.

The Ohio General Assembly will be on recess over the upcoming holidays, but OAPA will continue engaging with lawmakers and stakeholders to advance the PA Title Change and will actively push the initiative when the session reconvenes in the new year.

Want to get involved? The OAPA Government Affairs Committee supports the profession through advancing PA legislative priorities and removing barriers to practice.

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