Is it physician assistant or physician associate? Is there a difference?
Pacific’s Master of Science in Physician Associate Studies is the perfect place to take your passion for healthcare and turn it into a rewarding career.
What is the difference between physician associate vs physician assistant? The short answer is, there isn’t one. These terms are often used interchangeably. But there is a movement toward using the physician associate title in order to reflect the autonomy of these clinicians and better represent the true nature of the practice.
Physician Associate vs Physician Assistant: Why Pacific University Changed to a Physician Associate Program
Pacific University has changed the name of our PA program to the Physician Associate program. We are no longer using the term physician assistant. Why did we do this? In 2021 the AAPA (American Academy of Physician Associates) passed a resolution to officially use the title of physician associate. In 2024, Oregon officially adopted this practice. As of 2026, the PA program at Pacific University has changed from using the term physician assistant to using physician associate in order to reflect the shift in the field. This makes Pacific University the first School of Physician Associate Studies in Oregon.
According to the AAPA, the change in title does not impact the PA’s scope of practice. The title change is, however, a necessary modernization and better reflects the role of PA’s in our current healthcare system. The decision about the title was made after robust research, including patient surveys in which 71% of patients agreed that “physician associate” best matched the job description. This change creates greater transparency for patients. The term “physician assistant” implies that a physician is leading the patient's care, which isn’t always the case. The PA is most often examining, diagnosing and treating patients themselves.
The Physician Associate Program at Pacific University
Pacific University’s Physician Associate program is a graduate program that prepares students for licensure as a PA. It includes a didactic (classroom) phase followed by a clinical rotation and is completed in 27 months. The didactic phase of the program occurs at Pacific University’s Hillsboro Campus where our innovative curriculum prioritizes collaboration through modular courses, group testing, simulations and pass/no pass grading.
The program at Pacific University includes the option to join the The Rural and Underserved Service Track (TRUST), which prepares students to serve in rural and global communities. At the end of the didactic phase of the program, students complete a graduate project and then go on to their clinical rotations. These may be at travel program sites throughout the United States or even in international communities.
A Career as a Physician Associate
The outlook for careers for physician associates is good. This is an expanding area of healthcare with a salary range of $95,240 to $182,200. Physician associates work under the supervision of a physician to examine, diagnose and treat patients. They work in a variety of areas of healthcare.
Over 90% of Pacific University PA program graduates are employed after graduation. Pacific University PA graduates tend to be employed in the following areas:
- Primary care
- Family medicine
- Surgery
- Emergency medicine
- Rural/Underserved communities
- Pacific Northwest practice
Whether called a physician assistant or physician associate, PA’s are essential contributors to healthcare. The Physician Associate program at Pacific University prepares you for a medical career in this growing field.