Founded in 1968, the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) is the national professional society for physician assistants. It represents a profession of more than 86,500 certified PAs across all medical and surgical specialties in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the majority of the U.S. territories and within the uniformed services.

AAPA advocates and educates on behalf of the profession and the patients PAs serve. AAPA works to ensure the professional growth, personal excellence and recognition of physician assistants. It also works to enhance their ability to improve the quality, accessibility and cost-effectiveness of patient-centered healthcare.

The Kentucky Academy of Physician Assistants is a constituent organization of AAPA.

Visit the AAPA website.

Check out AAPA's online community, Huddle. This online community provides physician assistants a place to communicate, learn, share their experiences and discuss changes in the profession. It also seeks to educate the public about the PA profession and promote awareness.

The AAPA House of Delegates (HOD) has sole authority on behalf of AAPA to enact policies establishing the collective values, philosophies, and principles of the PA profession. The HOD consists of voting delegates from:

• Fifty-six chapters representing 50 states, the District of Columbia and five federal services
• Twenty-five officially recognized specialty organizations
• Eight caucuses comprised of individuals sharing a common goal or interest related to healthcare access or delivery
• The Student Academy
• In addition, the current and immediate past House officers are delegates-at-large and vote

The 2023-24 voting delegates representing KAPA are listed below.