PA Day on the Hill

PA Day on the Hill

MAPA plans advocacy activities at the Minnesota State Capitol to encourage Minnesota-based PAs to meet with their legislators and help them understand the important role we play in providing health care.

It is vitally important that PAs develop a relationship with their elected legislators so they can understand who PAs are and how we fit into health care.

Sign-up to Attend

MAPA organizes this annual event to increase Minnesota legislators’ understanding of the PA profession and our role in delivering health care.

The 2023 PA Day on the Hill event is on Tuesday, February 28.

Studies have shown that in-person legislator meetings have the most impact on how they vote. Therefore, the committee will prioritize scheduling in-person appointments at the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul. The committee will schedule virtual appointments if possible.

All practicing PAs are encouraged to participate in the event. MAPA membership is not required.

Sign up today to meet with your legislators. The MAPA Legislative Committee will arrange meetings, share talking points and background information, and help you get ready to make an impression when you meet with legislators.

Register today! The sooner you register, the more likely we will be successful in securing an appointment with your legislators. Registration closes on Friday, February 24, 2023.

Why Attend

Studies have shown that an in-person meeting with legislators has the most significant impact on how legislators vote (see below). A recent student study identified several gaps in knowledge about the PA profession among MN legislators. How great would it be if every MN PA would take a few hours once a year to educate their legislators about the PA profession? Legislators need to hear from you to better understand; the rigors of PA training, the unique clinical focus of our profession, our scope and capacity to care for patients autonomously, and the potential that the PA profession has to improve the access to care concerns in Minnesota and beyond.

Attendee Talking Points

PAs and Mental Health (PDF)
PA Licensure Compact (PDF)
The PA profession was started over 50 years ago to address a shortage of primary healthcare providers. True to the history of our profession, PAs are a proven, valued and qualified answer to meeting patient care needs in the ever-changing healthcare environment. PAs are trained at the graduate level and complete over 2,000 hours of clinical training. This is second only to physicians and is the most hours of clinical training among all non-physician health care providers. PAs are licensed medical providers who are recognized by the Affordable Care Act, as one of three qualified primary care providers (PAs, Nurse Practitioners and Physicians). PAs practice autonomously in the context of team-based care models and manage the full scope of patient care needs, including prescribing medications, performing procedures, ordering tests, and managing patients with multiple medical conditions, in all medical specialties and settings. PAs should specifically be included in any healthcare legislation that improves patient access and affordability to the patients of MN.