Cross-Orgs Affirm Commitment to EDI
The four national PA organizations come together in the spirit of collaboration to form a collective known as the Cross-Orgs. This assembly is comprised of PAEA, AAPA, NCCPA, and ARC-PA. While not an official governing body, the Cross-Orgs share collective responsibility for addressing important profession-wide issues like equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) initiatives. Executive volunteer and staff leaders from each organization convene twice annually to discuss issues affecting the continuum of the profession.
The Cross-Orgs held the first meeting of 2023 immediately following the Doctoral Summit. The agenda was mostly focused on completing a Cross-Org accountability framework designed to document, measure, and monitor progress on EDI goals within and across the four organizations. At a high level, the plan includes metrics on increasing the diversity of the profession, implementing policies and practices that promote equity for all stakeholders, and fostering inclusion through advocacy and outreach with the goal of ensuring PAs continue to provide high-quality, patient-centered care. Cross-Org leaders are committed to advancing EDI and have agreed to dedicate staff and time to make it a permanent part of the Cross-Org meeting agenda.