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Aug 27 2015

New law adds dedicated PA seat to the NCMB

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The Governor recently signed into law a bill that will add a dedicated seat for a physician assistant to the NCMB, bringing the total number of Board seats to 13.

HB 724, now Session Law 2015-213, amends state law to state that the composition of the North Carolina Medical Board shall include one dedicated seat for a PA and one dedicated seat for a nurse practitioner (NP). Currently, the law specifies that one seat on the Board shall be occupied for a PA or a NP. In accordance with the law, the remaining Board seats are to be occupied by eight physicians and three public members.

The new PA seat will be nominated by the Review Panel, the independent body that currently nominates candidates for a majority of the Board seats held by licensed medical professionals, and appointed by the Governor. The Review Panel is scheduled to meet in late August to select nominees for Board seats that will be open as of Nov. 1.

 Comments on this article:

It is about time each mid-level provider profession had a dedicated seat on the Board. PA’s need to be interviewed by PAs and NPs interviewed by NPs. Each group brings differing, yet similar, experiences and training models to the practice setting and they are not the same. They have been treated as if they were the same in there past. This is a positive step for PAs.

By Patrick T. Walters, PA-C on Aug 28, 2015 at 7:29pm
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