By Sherry Stolberg, Chair, Transition Task Force
Patrick Knott, APAP President

As you know, the Association has been considering whether to adopt a new name, logo, and tagline at the time of our transition to a new office. After surveying the membership, and considerable discussion of many issues, the APAP Board of Directors and the Transition Task Force (TTF) decided that the Association’s impending move to independent management represents a unique opportunity to recommend a name that better reflects the Association’s core function — education. At the same time, it makes sense to update our logo and establish a fresh and consistent graphic identity.

The board and the TTF propose the following as the Association’s new name: “Physician Assistant Education Association.”

This new name would have several advantages. First and foremost, it includes the word “education” — reflecting the core purpose of our member programs. While the Association is well known in the PA world, the word “Programs” in our name has often caused confusion in the larger health care education and policy communities. As the Association moves to independent management and looks to raise its profile in the health policy world and on Capitol Hill, it is important that our name accurately convey what we do.

Second, the proposed name focuses attention on what we do, rather than who we are. Many “programs” are now departments or divisions, reflecting the stronger establishment of PA education in educational institutions. The name also reflects the fact that, while our formal members are PA programs, the Association is made up of, and exists to serve, individual PA educators.

A new name presents us with an opportunity to upgrade our logo and graphic identity. A graphic design and marketing firm, Ion Design, has been helping us with this process. With guidance from the TTF and the board and input from the membership survey, the designer has developed what we believe is a compelling and elegant logo, one that will help define and reenergize us as we move into an exciting new era as an independent organization. Click here to see the new logo.

Finally, we have developed a simple tagline — “Scholars. Leaders. Partners.” — that completes the name and logo package, and succinctly summarizes who we are.

The board of directors has submitted a motion for the APAP Business Meeting agenda, asking the membership to endorse the new name and logo. As with much of what we do, the decision ultimately rests with the membership. We hope that after careful consideration of the issue, you will support the board and TTF’s decision and vote to endorse the proposal.

You should all have received an e-mail on this issue in the past few days, and there will also be opportunities to view and discuss the new name, logo, and identity package at our upcoming Education Forum in Puerto Rico. If you have any questions about the process, please feel free to contact any member of the board of directors or Transition Task Force. E-mail links are included below.

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APAP Update - October 2005