MTSU Physician Assistant program

The first cohort of Middle Tennessee State University new Physician Assistant Studies graduate program in May 2022

There’s always next year for physician assistants. The Tennessee Academy of Physician Assistants has been pushing for what they call a modernization of the PA Practice Act for three years now, and this legislative session the effort failed again. While there have been a few minor updates, the law hasn’t changed much since 1999. 

In Tennessee, physician assistants are required to have a collaborating physician associated with their license. The physician has to review 20 percent of the PA’s cases per month. This year’s bill (SB1170/HB1457) would have allowed collaborating physicians to become optional after a PA has practiced for three years, but the effort was rolled to next year. 

Marie Patterson MTSU

Marie Patterson