History of OSPA

The PA profession was created to improve and expand healthcare. In the mid-1960s, physicians and educators recognized there was a shortage of primary care physicians.

To help remedy this, Eugene A. Stead Jr., MD, of the Duke University Medical Center, put together the first class of PAs in 1965. He selected four Navy Hospital Corpsmen who had received considerable medical training during their military service. Stead based the curriculum of the PA program on his knowledge of the fast-track training of doctors during World War II. The first PA class graduated from the Duke University PA program on Oct. 6, 1967.

The PA concept was lauded early on and gained federal acceptance and backing as early as the 1970s as a creative solution to physician shortages. The medical community helped support the new profession and spurred the setting of accreditation standards, establishment of a national certification process and standardized examination, and development of continuing medical education requirements.

The American Academy of Physician Assistants (formerly known as the American Association of Physician Assistants) was established and incorporated in the state of North Carolina in 1968. Initial membership was made up of the first students and graduates of the Duke University PA program, among which were former military corpsmen.

In 1973, 300 members strong, a joint national headquarters for AAPA and the Association of Physician Assistant Programs (now the Physician Assistant Education Association) was established in Washington, D.C. The headquarters moved to Arlington, Va., in the late 1970s and to Old Town Alexandria, VA, in 1988.

The Academy moved to its current location in the Carlyle area of Alexandria in 2011. The Oregon Society of Physician Assistants (OSPA) was incorporated in 1982, and today is the ‘Definitive Voice of PAs in Oregon!’

OSPA Presidents – Present and Past

 2025 – 2027         Heather Robbins, PA-C

 2023 – 2025        Alisa Gifford, PA-C

 2021 – 2023        Brian Mills, PA-C

 2019 – 2021        Ben Johnson, PA-C

 2017 – 2019        Sage Davis-Risen, PA-C

 2015 – 2017        Rachel Stappler, PA-C

 2014 – 2015        Coralee Koning, PA-C

 2013 – 2014        David Greene, PA-C

 2012 – 2013        Ian Hartman, PA-C

 2010 – 2012        Barbara MArtin, PA-C

 2008 – 2010        Kate Grace, PA-C

 2007 – 2008        Mark Tabor, Pa-C

 2006 – 2007        Ben Johnson, PA-C

 2005 – 2006        Cheri Springer, PA-C

 2003 – 2005        Pat Kenny-Moore, PA-C

 2002 – 2003        Ted Ruback, PA-C

 2000 – 2002        Curt Hawkinson, PA-C

 1998 – 2000        Scott Beyer, PA-C

 1996 – 1998        Dana Gray, PA-C

 1995 – 1996        Dave Jones, PA-C

 1994 – 1995        Ann Rose, PA-C

 1993 – 1994        Phyllis Peterson, PA-c

 1992 – 1993        Jerome Casey, PA-C

 1991 – 1992        Stan Ferguson

 1990 – 1991        Larry Dennis, PA-C

 1989 – 1990        Francine Boullosa, PA-C

 1988 – 1989        Dave Jones, PA-C

 1987 – 1988        Claudio Lima, PA-C

 1986 – 1987        Greg Meiling, PA-C

 1984 – 1986        Dana Gray, PA-C

 1983 – 1984        Dave Goddard, PA-C (stepped in for Forest Hofer)

 1982 – 1983        Frank Pacosa, PA-C

 1981 – 1982        Robert Peterson, PA-C

 1979 – 1981        Mike Meno, PA-C

 1977 – 1979        Steve Koontz, PA-C

 1975 – 1977        Jerry Dobbs, PA-C

 1974 – 1975        Margaret Wadsworth, PA-C