The association elected new officers to the board of directors, passed a program dues increase, awarded its annual research grants and service awards, and accepted the final report and all seven recommendations of the APAP Degree Task Force. At its annual business meeting, the APAP membership met with a full agenda. As expected, much of the time was devoted to consideration of the final report of the APAP Degree Task Force, established in 1998 to explore and make recommendations to the APAP board on issues surrounding the entry-level credential for physician assistants. The APAP board had earlier voted to endorse the report and to send it to the membership for a vote. Ultimately, after several proposed amendments to the recommendations were defeated, the APAP membership voted to accept the report and all seven of its recommendations.
All terms are effective immediately.
This completes a two-phase increase first implemented in 1998. The new dues amount will take effect with the next round of billing, beginning in April 2001. The 2000 Education Forum was given an inspiring kick-off at the opening general session on Thursday, where APAP members enjoyed an uplifting address from keynote speaker Ken Moritsugu, MD, deputy surgeon general of the United States and well known to PAs from his work on the PA Foundation Board of Trustees. Dr. Moritsugu spoke on the Surgeon General's goals for the Healthy People 2010 initiative and challenged PA educators to consider their own lifestyle choices and to model healthy behavior for PA students. At its annual Awards Luncheon on Saturday, APAP presented awards to recipients of the annual APAP Research Institute grants program, and recognized excellence in teaching and service with presentation of four awards to PA educators and others involved in the profession.