International Map

Welcome to the IAPAE World map
of PA/PA Analogue Education Programs

IAPAE strives to provide the most up to date information about the education and training programs of each country in the global education community. Find below a world map and click on a country to learn about the country clinical practitioner title and educational degree provided in that country. Some countries may have more than one type of clinical practitioner and multiple types of degree offerings.

Soon you will be able to click further on the country name to visit the Country Education Information page to learn details about the clinical practitioner, the education and training of the health professional in that country. Here you can find useful information for students, educators, coordinators, and government policy makers for understanding the diversity and similarities of this important health profession around the world.

Click on a country to see the country information

Country information and research for the world map compiled by

Scott-Smalley-IAPAE

Scott Smalley

IAPAE - Immediate Past President
scott.smalley@wits.ac.za

Information current as of April 2023 with quarterly updates.

Would you like to contribute by providing your country's details and any updates that are to be featured in the map?

Please write to us with any information about clinical practitioners in a country that are not featured, or with any new updates or corrections of any information to populate the world map. IAPAE will verify the authenticity of the details provided and publish it quarterly

Find below a complete list of all countries with PA or PA Analogue education programs and clinical practitioners by region

Africa

The African continent has the most countries with PA and PA Analogue education and training programs. There are more than 20 countries in Africa with a PA/PA Analogue clinical practitioner. These health professionals have existed for more than 100 years, providing the backbone of medical care to their people, delivering universal health care on a daily basis.

International-Program-IAPAE-Africa
International-Program-IAPAE-Africa

Africa

The African continent has the most countries with PA and PA Analogue education and training programs. There are more than 20 countries in Africa with a PA/PA Analogue clinical practitioner. These health professionals have existed for more than 100 years, providing the backbone of medical care to their people, delivering universal health care on a daily basis.

International-Program-IAPAE-Asia

Asia

Asia has a long history of task sharing and task shifting of medical responsibilities within the healthcare team. The continent has more than fifteen countries with a PA/PA Analogue clinical practitioner providing healthcare. There are more than six different levels of educational qualifications including Ordinary Diploma, Higher Diploma, Bachelors, Postgraduate Diploma and Masters degree.

Europe and United Kingdom

There are twelve countries in the geographic region of Europe and the United Kingdom with PA/PA Analogue education and training programs. Poland is one of the first countries to start an alternate medical training program for Feldshers in the late 1780s. Many of the countries in Europe have recently started the PA profession. In the United Kingdom, there are over 40 educational institutions providing physician associate education.

IAPAE-International-Program-Europe and United Kingdom
IAPAE-International-Program-Europe and United Kingdom

Europe/UK

There are twelve countries in the geographic region of Europe and the United Kingdom with PA/PA Analogue education and training programs. Poland is one of the first countries to start an alternate medical training program for Feldshers in the late 1780s. Many of the countries in Europe have recently started the PA profession. In the United Kingdom, there are over 40 educational institutions providing physician associate education.

IAPAE-International-Program-North, Central and South America

North, Central & South America

In this geographic region PA and PA Analogues are trained and employed in the United States, territories of the USA, Canada and Guyana. North America has a robust history with the creation of the PA concept in 1965 in North Carolina. Canada followed in the 1970s with the title medical assistant which changed to physician assistant in 1991. More information is needed to describe the education of PA and PA Analogues in Central and South America.

Oceania

With more than 10,000 islands including the countries of Australia and New Zealand, this geographic region has a long history of PA and PA Analogue training beginning in 1910 in Papua New Guinea with the title of medical assistant. They now have the title of health extension officer. New Zealand recently started a Pilot PA employment program with efforts to start education. More information is needed to fully describe the education of PA and PA Analogues in Oceania.
International-Program-IAPAE-Oceania
International-Program-IAPAE-Oceania

Oceania

With more than 10,000 islands including the countries of Australia and New Zealand, this geographic region has a long history of PA and PA Analogue training beginning in 1910 in Papua New Guinea with the title of medical assistant. They now have the title of health extension officer. New Zealand recently started a Pilot PA employment program with efforts to start education. More information is needed to fully describe the education of PA and PA Analogues in Oceania.

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