EMPAs with doctoral degrees often continue to practice in clinical settings with direct patient contact. SEMPA issues a statement addressing the ongoing discussion regarding how providers with doctorate degrees should identify themselves to their patients and other health care professionals.
SEMPA's Statement on Use of the Term “Doctor” for EMPAs with a Doctorate Degree
Legislation passed by the Indiana General Assembly and signed into law by the governor on May 5, 2023, SB 400, requires hospitals with an emergency department to have at least one physician on site and on duty who is responsible for the emergency department.
SEMPA's Statement on Indiana Law Requiring a Physician On Site in Hospital EDs
With 555 Match positions unfilled for the 2023 Ememrgency Medicine Residency Match, SEMPA is troubled by the lack of interest in the emergency medicine specialty and concerned about how this will impact the emergency medicine workforce and patient care.
SEMPA's Statement on 2023 Emergency Medicine Residency Match
Following the May 24, 2021, vote by AAPA’s House of Delegates that passed a policy affirming “physician associate” as the official title for the PA profession, physician organizations across all specialties – including emergency medicine – have come out in opposition. SEMPA responded to the name change criticism and its concerns on how it could impact emergency medicine.
SEMPA's Statement on PA Name Change Criticism
SEMPA responds to another divisive statement targeting postgraduate EMPAs with multiple signatories from our emergency medicine colleague representative organizations.
SEMPA has joined other leading organizations in releasing a joint statement in which emergency medicine and other leading medical associations, academics and psychiatry experts outline steps to support the mental health of emergency physicians and other health professionals currently risking their lives to treat patients during this pandemic.
Supporting Clinician Health in the Post-COVID Pandemic Era Statement - PDF
In light of recent acts of violence toward African Americans, including the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, SEMPA denounces racism and condemns all senseless acts of violence.
SEMPA Statement on Structural Racism, Violence and Public Health - PDF
The SEMPA Board of Directors instituted a policy statement on the title of the physician assistant to collectively and appropriately identify and name advanced practice providers, speicifcally physician assistants and nurse practitioners.
Title of the Physician Assistant Statement - PDF
The Society of Emergency Medicine Physician Assistants (SEMPA) became aware of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine (AAEM) position statement on advanced practice providers (APPs), which includes emergency medicine physician assistants (EMPAs).
As the national organization representing EMPAs who practice in emergency departments across the country, SEMPA is disappointed that AAEM chose not to reach out to or involve SEMPA in any way for input when updating its position statement. Had they done so, SEMPA could have helped provide valuable information about EMPA practice patterns across the country that could have better informed their policy.
SEMPA Statement Regarding AAEM’s Policy on APPs - PDF
Since the introduction of the National Commission on the Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) Certificate of Added Qualifications (CAQ) in Emergency Medicine, emergency medicine physicians and physician assistants have looked to SEMPA for guidance in whether obtaining this certificate is appropriate for EMPA practice. With the release of its official statement on NCCPA’s CAQ, SEMPA is endorsing the CAQ as an appropriate measure of knowledge of emergency medical content for physician assistants practicing in emergency medicine.
NCCPA’s CAQ in Emergency Medicine Statement - PDF
As the national organization representing emergency medicine physician assistants (PAs), who practice in academic and community emergency departments across the country, the Society of Emergency Medicine Physician Assistants (SEMPA) fully supports postgraduate education programs for PAs.
Emergency Medicine Postgraduate Education for Physician Assistants Statement - PDF
SEMPA recognizes and endorses the ACEP Ultrasound Guidelines: Emergency, Point-of-Care, and Clinical Ultrasound Guidelines in Medicine released June 2016. ACEP recognizes that emergency ultrasound is a fundamental skill in the practice of emergency medicine. SEMPA believes that emergency medicine physician assistants should be credentialed and granted privileges by their institutions to perform emergency ultrasound, if they have met the same training guidelines as emergency physicians, as outlined by the ACEP 2016 Ultrasound Guidelines.
Ultrasound Guidelines on Credentialing and Privileging Statement - PDF
SEMPA is in agreement with the ACEP policy titled, Emergency Ultrasound Certification by External Entities. SEMPA believes that certification for point-of-care ultrasound by a non-emergency medicine external body, organization, or society may negatively affect the ability of emergency medicine physician assistants to utilize this important diagnostic skill.
Point-of-Care Ultrasound Certification by an External Organization Statement - PDF
