Frequently Asked Questions

  • No.

    PAs want to provide care in collaboration with physicians and all members of the health care team. PAs believe that they should be responsible for the care that they provide like all other health care providers, and that they shouldn’t have their licenses tied to another clinician.

    PAs want to continue to collaborate with physicians, but in a way that makes sense for patient care at the practice level.

  • PAs are not looking to expand their scope.

    We believe that scope should be determined at the practice level based on the education, training, and experience of an individual PA. In fact, this is how scope is determined currently for hospital-based PAs and is safe, effective, and efficient.

  • Physicians undergo the most extensive and rigorous training of all healthcare providers. That’s why PAs want to continue to collaborate with physicians.

    PAs are highly skilled and rigorously trained providers who can provide much-needed care to Illinois patients. By not tethering PA licensing to individual physicians, PAs and physicians can collaborate in a way that makes sense and provides care to many Illinois patients.

  • PAs complete four years of undergraduate study followed by two to three years of graduate study in an accredited PA program before being eligible for licensure and national board certification.

    PAs can complete an additional one to two years of residency or fellowship training at the beginning of their career. PAs hold Masters degrees in medical science and some have completed a Doctorate in Medical Science (DMSc) or Ph.D.

    PAs hold their own state license, controlled substance license, and individual DEA license.

    Like physicians, PAs are required to obtain yearly continuing medical education (CME) to maintain national board certification and state licensure and are required to retake board exams every 10 years.

  • Illinois legislation hasn’t kept pace with how medicine is practiced.

    Nurse Practitioners (NP) or Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) are similarly trained to PAs. In fact, published research shows that PAs are, at minimum, equally trained to NPs.

    PAs are not seeking Full Practice Authority on par with our APRN colleagues and believe in continued collaboration with physicians. However, legislation needs to be updated to bring PAs more in line with their equally skilled APRN colleagues.

  • Simply put, under this legislation, PAs cannot directly bill for services, which prevents a PA from practicing independently.

    PAs continue to prioritize functioning as part of a healthcare team.