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Pi
Alpha Invites PA Programs to Create Local Chapters
By George
S. Bottomley, DVM, PA-C
Chair, National Physician Assistant Honor Society
Advisory Committee
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 also initiated to encourage a high standard of character
and conduct among both physician assistant students and graduates.
Individuals can be nominated to Pi Alpha only by Pi Alpha Chapter
Councils at the PA programs. 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 granted to graduates.
A packet inviting PA program directors and faculty to consider creating
Pi Alpha chapters has been sent to all PA programs. The packet includes
information and all application materials necessary for chapter membership.
Programs may receive approval to initiate Pi Alpha chapters by submitting
a completed and signed application and one-time membership fee of
$200 to the National PA Honor Society Advisory Committee. Information
and application materials are also available on-line at http://www.apap.org/pialpha.htm.
Once a chapter is approved and its charter is 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 submits a list of nominees
to the Advisory Committee at least two months prior to the chapter's
date of graduation. Certificates, honor cords, and pins are sent to
the chapter to be awarded to these new affiliates.
There are four categories of official Pi Alpha membership: student,
alumni, faculty, and honorary.
1. Student membership in Pi Alpha is an honor bestowed on 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 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 (PA and non-PA)
who have rendered distinguished scholarship as well as leadership
or professional service to the PA profession.
Each type of membership requires approval by the Advisory Committee.
Once approved, all members receive an individually numbered certificate,
honor cord, and pin. Costs for these are covered by a $25.00 per inductee
fee. Costs for all student inductees are absorbed by the chapter;
there is no cost to the student inductee. Fees for alumni, faculty,
and honorary inductees are paid by whatever mechanism deemed appropriate
by the chapter.
At the October 2003 APAP Educational Forum in Phoenix, Arizona, the
APAP Board of Directors passed a motion to support the creation of
a national honor society for physician assistants. In February 2004,
the board appointed the APAP National PA Honor Society Advisory Committee
and charged it with overseeing the development and maintenance of
the society. The committee's faculty and student members have written
bylaws, developed a budget, and crafted all documents necessary to
begin the process of chapter membership.
The business of the society is conducted by the Advisory Committee,
as appointed by the board. The committee is composed of a chair, secretary/treasurer,
and three members at large, one of whom is the SAAAPA representative
to APAP. Since the society operates as part of the APAP, it is a non-profit,
educational organization. APAP also supplies administrative support.
The Advisory Committee — Chair George Bottomley, Jody Cahalan, Richard
Muma, Raylene Lawrence, ex officio honorary member Susan M. Condreras,
and board liaison Walter Eisenhauer — is proud to be involved in the
creation of this unique society and encourages you to consider creating
a chapter at your PA program. You may find us on site in Nashville
at the Education Forum Exhibit Hall Reception, from 6:00–9:00 p.m.,
on Thursday evening. We look forward to meeting you and responding
to any questions you may have.
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