It was a great year to be in the House of Delegates in the "city of brotherly love".  It did seem that the usual contention in the House was calm by comparison to past years.  We had some wonderful lively discussion over some issues that I'm sure our Utah members would be interested in.  We debated the Master's degree issue (again) and I spoke twice on the floor on the issue.  We debated the issue of specialty exams for PAs and whether the NCCPA exam should be given every 10 years instead of 6 (it did not pass).  We had debate about curative or reparative therapies for homosexuality.  We also revisited a resolution on patient's reproductive decision making.  We also toasted Indiana with cake who "made it 50" with their recent legislation allowing PAs to write prescriptions.

Ultimately the HOD
•    Adopted a position paper on the role of In-Store or Retail Health Clinics
•    Adopted policy encouraging the AAPA Board of Directors to work with the           NCCPA to "develop appropriate responses to specialty issues in ways that       will not threaten the flexibility of the PA profession"
•    After a lot of debate, adopted language that the ability of PAs to "practice    
      and be reimbursed should not be compromised, regardless of the degree           awarded upon completion of entry-level PA education" and the AAPA    
      supports the awarding of a master's degree to new PA graduates.
•    Adopted a policy, "By referring the patient to a qualified provider who is    
      willing to discuss and facilitate all treatment options, the PA fulfills their
      ethical obligation to ensure the patient's access to all legal options", in    
      regard to reproductive decision making.
•    Did not pass the resolution making the NCCPA recerticification exam 10
      years instead of 6.
•    Adopted a policy that stated the AAPA opposes treatment directed
      specifically at changing a persons sexual orientation, based on the
      assumption that homosexuality is a mental disorder

Jennifer Coombs, PAC / UAPA Chief Delegate to AAPA HOD