You have successfully completed your program of study, and you are now ready to begin the next chapter of your professional lives. I share your sense of accomplishment and excitement as you exit your respective schools and prepare to face a future full of possibility and promise as a Physician Assistant.

For many of you, earning your PA degree is perhaps your most significant accomplishment to date, and it is one that you should be justly proud of. The decision to pursue medical education and to go into the PA profession was a wise and timely investment in your future and one that, I assure you, will result in a lifetime of rich rewards in many ways.

The fact that you are graduating this year is testimony to your own hard work, determination, and purposefulness. Despite the challenges inherent in completing your rigorous course load, complicated for some by personal difficulties, you remained steadfast in your desire to achieve your goals. Now, and in the years to come, you will be rewarded for your prudence.

I have every confidence that while you will not be greeted by a perfect world, you have the skills and adroitness to overcome whatever hurdles you will encounter in the months and years ahead. Your programs have prepared you well and now it is up to you to grasp new opportunities, define yourself and your place in the medical community and make a difference to those who will look to you for their healthcare needs and support. We here at GAPA are counting on you to go forth and show the medical community that PA's will always be a medical force.

As a way to support you in your transition to PA practice we would like to assist you with some practical tips on the most frequently asked PA questions of GAPA by recent graduates. It was created by your new colleagues in the PA profession specifically for you. We hope these pointers will facilitate a smooth transition into your next job. I wish you all the best in pursuing a new career in the PA profession. Well done!

Sincerely,

Ben Taylor, PhD, PA-C
Georgia Association of Physician Assistants