NCCPA held its first REPRESENT! Summit at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta, GA, September 8-9, 2022. The Summit gathered clinically practicing PAs, PA faculty and educators, PA students, and leaders of PA organizations to discuss strategies to develop and sustain Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts in the PA profession, diversify the PA workforce and promote inclusivity within PA educational and workplace settings. The 1.5-day interactive event comprised panel discussions, guided activities, and poster exhibitions that explored DEI challenges in various settings.

On the first day of the Summit, attendees engaged in facilitator-led activities that dove into the pre-work assignments they completed before the event. The activities explored everyday inclusion and equity behaviors and action items for attendees to reflect on. Attendees heard and discussed real-life scenarios that hindered DEI in the PA profession.

On the last day of the Summit, Dr. Uché Blackstock, a renowned physician, and health equity advocate delivered the keynote address to bring home the importance of a diverse healthcare workforce as a step in solving our nation’s healthcare crisis, one that disproportionately burdens minority communities. Dr. Blackstock shared her personal and professional experience as a physician of color and her mission to close health equity gaps. She encouraged attendees to champion initiatives that lead to better care for a patient population that is more diverse than ever.

In addition, leaders from the American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA), the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA), the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA), and the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA) shared their current and future DEI efforts. Leaders of the four major national PA organizations also signed a pledge to take an active stance in addressing racial and ethnic inequalities in the profession and elevate DEI as an ongoing priority for each organization.

Attendees were equipped with information and best practices to implement DEI in their various communities and will continue to engage with each other through the attendee virtual platform.

We’d like to thank all the attendees for an energizing Summit!