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Creating a separate thread because I sense a derail coming in the other one...
PAs only recently received national certification under the ASCP. There are VERY VERY few supposedly accred. training programs, in fact there are only 8 in the US and none in the Western states....yet curiously Pathology continues on here in California without them (LMAO).
LADOC's PA FAQ:
What is a PA degree and how did this nonsense all begin?
The acred. PA degree was actually an invention at Duke University in the late 60s.
Originally floated as a graduate level program, it was popular due to a little thing called Vietnam, which granted draft exemptions to people pursuing graduate school. This Class II-S exemption resulted in the single greatest year over year percentage increase in medical school applications in history.
Although getting into med school had been tough in the 50s, this was real competition. As a result, there was a real market and profit margin to made on those looking for something medically related who were MD school rejects (realize this was before most DO schools and the foreign options).
An added benefit of being a PA was that unlike a RN, after your training it was unlikely you could wind up in Danang or China Beach when your Class II-S expired.
PA training is, essentially, a glorified 2 year mini pathology residency with a focus on grossing and autopsy (because you know, autopsy is in demand and generates mad bank...
) as well as having a histotech component (okay...).
What do cert. PAs make?
Currently due to the fact that there are exactly 8 schools and it is a graduate level program (because well of course you need a broad liberal arts undergrad at Princeton to cut and stuff meat...rofl'copter) they make salaries equivalent to an entry level chemical engineer, roughly $80,000 or 40/hr. Often they qualify for OT pay at 1.5x and can have compensation exceeding 80/hr if properly scamming the system.
Do I need a certified PA in my lab?
Depends, if you suck at teaching someone how to gross or are incompetent at it yourself, then absolutely yes. Likewise if you somehow are ******ed enough to be in a situation where you are performing 4 hour ritualistic medical autopsies for little to no pay, then it might be a good option as you can push the employee cost off onto the hospital.
In terms of JACHO and CAP lab certification, an ASCP or otherwise certified PA is not mandated. Let me repeat that: both the 2 big pathology lab organizations which certify do NOT have PA cert mandates. If they did have mandates, it would be highly unlikely they rest the sole ability to certify within the ASCP's hands.
What is our professional organizations' stance on PA cert mandates?
Pathology societies are nearly unanimously against this. In fact the CSP and the CAP worked together to block legislation even defining what PA cert is, let alone actually mandating it. Likewise, the CMA and AMA are against further encroachment of non-MD/DO physician extenders into the practice of medicine and are actively lobbying PA cert down. The Amer Assoc of PAs has all of 8 schools to draw donated funds from. GI Joe action figure collectors represent a larger lobbying presence in Washington atm.
PAs only recently received national certification under the ASCP. There are VERY VERY few supposedly accred. training programs, in fact there are only 8 in the US and none in the Western states....yet curiously Pathology continues on here in California without them (LMAO).
LADOC's PA FAQ:
What is a PA degree and how did this nonsense all begin?
The acred. PA degree was actually an invention at Duke University in the late 60s.
Originally floated as a graduate level program, it was popular due to a little thing called Vietnam, which granted draft exemptions to people pursuing graduate school. This Class II-S exemption resulted in the single greatest year over year percentage increase in medical school applications in history.
Although getting into med school had been tough in the 50s, this was real competition. As a result, there was a real market and profit margin to made on those looking for something medically related who were MD school rejects (realize this was before most DO schools and the foreign options).
An added benefit of being a PA was that unlike a RN, after your training it was unlikely you could wind up in Danang or China Beach when your Class II-S expired.
PA training is, essentially, a glorified 2 year mini pathology residency with a focus on grossing and autopsy (because you know, autopsy is in demand and generates mad bank...
) as well as having a histotech component (okay...).What do cert. PAs make?
Currently due to the fact that there are exactly 8 schools and it is a graduate level program (because well of course you need a broad liberal arts undergrad at Princeton to cut and stuff meat...rofl'copter) they make salaries equivalent to an entry level chemical engineer, roughly $80,000 or 40/hr. Often they qualify for OT pay at 1.5x and can have compensation exceeding 80/hr if properly scamming the system.
Do I need a certified PA in my lab?
Depends, if you suck at teaching someone how to gross or are incompetent at it yourself, then absolutely yes. Likewise if you somehow are ******ed enough to be in a situation where you are performing 4 hour ritualistic medical autopsies for little to no pay, then it might be a good option as you can push the employee cost off onto the hospital.
In terms of JACHO and CAP lab certification, an ASCP or otherwise certified PA is not mandated. Let me repeat that: both the 2 big pathology lab organizations which certify do NOT have PA cert mandates. If they did have mandates, it would be highly unlikely they rest the sole ability to certify within the ASCP's hands.
What is our professional organizations' stance on PA cert mandates?
Pathology societies are nearly unanimously against this. In fact the CSP and the CAP worked together to block legislation even defining what PA cert is, let alone actually mandating it. Likewise, the CMA and AMA are against further encroachment of non-MD/DO physician extenders into the practice of medicine and are actively lobbying PA cert down. The Amer Assoc of PAs has all of 8 schools to draw donated funds from. GI Joe action figure collectors represent a larger lobbying presence in Washington atm.
