When did the PA profession begin to take form in the United States?

The PA profession began to take form in the 1960s when the need for a new type of healthcare practitioner emerged to address physician shortages and the increasing complexity of medical care. The first official PA program was established in 1965 at Duke University, founded by Dr. Eugene A. Stead Jr., who sought to create a new model for delivering healthcare that involved training individuals with a background in healthcare, such as former Navy corpsmen, to extend the services of physicians.

The development of the PA role was largely influenced by the growing demands of the healthcare system in the United States during this time period. This included the acknowledgment that mid-level providers could improve access to care, enhance patient outcomes, and alleviate some of the burdens placed on physicians.

Other timeframes mentioned, such as the 1940s, 1920s, and 1800s, do not accurately reflect the inception of the PA profession. During those earlier decades, the healthcare system was different, and the concept of "physician assistants" as a distinct role had not yet been recognized or needed in the same way it was by the 1960s.