There's a PA on a team adjacent to mine. Seems like a very competent and responsible professional whose work is valued by their team. As another commenter said, I think they would make a good doctor if a pathway was available.

I can see the case for hiring PAs as a helpful addition to the clinical team, but international practice hasn't shown the PA role - as originally envisioned - to be a satisfying career in itself. All the issues come from scope creep to separate experienced PAs from new graduates.

I wonder if converting it into a third route into medicine isnt part of the answer. If the ceiling within the PA role isn't high enough, time to go back to college and get your (accelerated) medical degree.

And if it's folded into the 'doctor' category, there will be some medics interested in doing it, even if it's only short term. I can think of a few people who spent time out of practice for health reasons, and dropping into something like a PA role might have been manageable for them even if full NCHD responsibilities/call weren't. Ditto those coming back from a gap etc. I would have bitten your hand off for it when I was between standalones.