ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT: After many years of consultations with the international physician assistant (PA) community and a successful pilot program, in November 2021, the Polish Ministry of Health approved a specialty training program for surgical PAs. The inaugural class began studies in July 2022. This article details the circumstances and the process that led to the creation of this new program.
Subject(s)
Medicine , Physician Assistants , Humans , Poland , Curriculum , Referral and ConsultationABSTRACT
Historically, physician assistants (PAs) or their equivalent have been used to offset shortages of healthcare providers in many parts of the world. Poland, having been strongly influenced by Russia and the Soviet Union, revived the feldsher in the post-world war era. With a successful expansion of medical schools, the eventual surplus of physicians meant feldshers were no longer needed. In the early 2000s, Poland found itself in yet another medical provider crisis and turned toward the creation of the Polish PA profession.
