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Founded
M.M. Mandl, a New York City high school biology teacher, formed The Mandl School for Doctor’s Assistants to train students to work in physician offices. Mandl realized that physicians needed staff who were trained to efficiently provide administrative services and routine medical services, something that was not provided by nursing schools -
AAMA founded
The American Association of Medical Assistants, or AAMA, was founded in 1955. By this point, medical assisting was a distinct and recognizable field of study within the medical field -
Certifications
The first certification examinations were given in California, Kansas, and Florida. -
Eugene A. Stead Jr.
Eugene A. Stead Jr., MD, establishes the nation’s first physician assistant educational program at Duke University. The program accepts four former Navy medical corpsmen -
Special Committee
A special committee was appointed to develop curriculum standards for the training of medical assistants, as a prelude to collaborating with the AMA in the accreditation of educational programs on a postsecondary level. -
Accrediation
the AAMA had begun issuing accreditation and the 'Profession' of medical assisting was born as a recognized occupation in this country -
The National Board of Medical Examiners
The National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) approves development of a certifying examination for the assistant to the primary care physician. -
Recognition
the U.S. Department of Education recognized a partnership between the AMA Council on Medical Education and the AAMA Program Approval Committee as an official accrediting agency for post-high school medical assisting programs -
Physician Replacement and Costs Savings
reveals that MAs can provide 79% of care traditionally performed by primary care physicians at 50% of the cost. -
National PA Day
National PA Day, Oct. 6, is established, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the first graduating class of PAs from the Duke University PA Program in 1967 and, coincidentally, the birthday of Eugene A. Stead, Jr., MD. -
Online Certification
The NCCPA's Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE) is administered for the first time by computer at multiple sites around the country through a process developed by NBME. The computer-based examination soon becomes universal for certification of all health professionals throughout the country -
Universally accepted
PA practice is now universally accepted in all of the U.S. states and territories -
PA programs
there are 141 accredited PA programs throughout the country -
Prescribe
Indiana passes legislation allowing PAs to prescribe. All 50 states, the District of Columbia and Guam now allow PAs to prescribe -
Accredited Programs
As of January 2014, there are 181 accredited PA programs and more than 95,000 practicing PAs