American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA)

The American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) is the national professional society for physician associates (PAs), representing a profession of more than 200,000 PAs across all medical and surgical specialties in the United States and its territories. Founded in 1968, its mission is to empower members to advance their careers and enhance patient health, while also ensuring the professional growth, personal excellence, and recognition of PAs. The organization advocates and educates on behalf of the profession and the patients PAs serve, with its headquarters located in Alexandria, Virginia.

AAPA provides a range of services to its members and the broader PA community, including advocacy and government relations to advance PA practice, reimbursement support, and extensive research that includes the publication of the AAPA Salary Report. The Academy also produces the Journal of the American Academy of PAs (JAAPA) and offers comprehensive career resources through its Career Central. Additionally, AAPA facilitates continuing medical education (CME) and provides support for PA students and pre-PAs, aiming to improve the quality, accessibility, and cost-effectiveness of patient-centered healthcare.

Under the leadership of CEO Lisa Gables and 2025-26 President and Chair Todd A. Pickard, AAPA recently secured a significant victory in federal court on June 25, 2026, blocking the U.S. Department of Education's new regulatory definition of "professional degree" that would have capped PA student borrowing. This legal action, undertaken with the PA Education Association, aimed to prevent irreparable harm to PA students and mitigate potential healthcare workforce shortages. In other recent news, AAPA celebrated Rhode Island becoming the 25th member of the PA Licensure Compact in June 2026, marking a major step in modernizing PA practice. The organization continues its efforts to officially implement "physician associate" as the profession's title, a change affirmed in 2021 to more accurately reflect the role of PAs, and is committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion within the profession.