Pi Alpha Update

34 Programs Join Honor Society

By George Bottomley, DVM, PA-C, Chair
National PA Honor Society Advisory Committee

All PA program directors have, at this point, received a letter from the Pi Alpha Advisory Committee inviting them to consider membership in Pi Alpha, the National Honor Society for physician assistants. I am pleased to report that 34 programs have responded and created Pi Alpha chapters at their institutions.

Pi Alpha is the first national honor society created exclusively for physician assistants. The society was organized by APAP for the promotion and recognition of inductees’ significant academic achievement, leadership, research, publishing, community and/or professional service or activities. Pi Alpha was initiated as well to encourage a high standard of character and conduct among both physician assistant students and graduates. Participation by programs in Pi Alpha is voluntary, and chapters may be chartered at any ARC-PA accredited program, regardless of the type of degree programs award to graduates.

Later this month, a packet will be sent to nonmember programs to invite their participation in the honor society. The packet will include information and all application materials necessary for chapter membership. Programs may receive approval to initiate Pi Alpha chapters by submitting a completed, signed application and a one-time membership fee of $200 to the National PA Honor Society Advisory Committee. Information and application materials are also available at http://www.apap.org/pialpha.htm.

Once a chapter is approved and its charter has been granted, the PA program should create a chapter council. This will consist of the program director, faculty, and others deemed appropriate by the individual chapter. The chapter council determines who is eligible for membership in accordance with Pi Alpha bylaws and will submit a list of nominees to the advisory committee at least two months prior to the program’s graduation date. Certificates, honor cords, and pins will be sent to the chapter to be awarded to its new inductees.

I encourage programs to consider this opportunity and discuss it at your faculty meetings. It is a great way to recognize students, faculty, alumni, and others who have worked hard for the betterment of the profession. There are four categories of official Pi Alpha membership: student, alumni, faculty, and honorary.

1. Student membership in Pi Alpha is an honor bestowed upon a student in recognition not only of scholastic achievement — minimum professional grade point average (GPA) of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale and rank in top 15% of graduating class — but also demonstrated excellence in leadership, research, publishing, community and/or professional service or activities. GPA alone is not an indication for induction.
2. Membership for program alumni and full-time faculty provides a means to recognize and honor those PAs who have distinguished themselves in their professional careers. Alumni should fulfill the same criteria as current graduates.
3. Nominated faculty should have been full-time faculty members of a PA program for at least three years and have fulfilled criteria of distinguished scholarship, as well as leadership or service to a PA program or the profession.
4. Honorary membership may be bestowed upon individuals, both PAs and non-PAs, who have rendered distinguished scholarship as well as leadership or professional service to the PA profession.

The Advisory Committee members — Chair George Bottomley, Stephanie Bowlin, Jody Cahalan, Richard Muma, student member Raylene Lawrence, ex officio honorary member, Susan M. Condreras, and board liaison, Walter Eisenhauer — are proud to be involved in the creation of this unique society and encourage you to create a chapter at your PA program. You may contact any of us with questions about the society or look for us in Orlando at the APAP meeting.