1985 physician assistant role delineation study: ten years later.

A major task of the American Academy of Physician Assistants has been to safeguard the PA's place in today's health care system. Given continued growth of the profession and the diversity of PA employment in specialty settings, periodic review of PA role delineation has been mandatory. To date, three such studies have been conducted: by the National Board of Medical Examiners in 1971 and by the AAPA in 1976 and 1985. This Special Article highlights data collected on practice specialty and performance of individual tasks from the 1985 study. The results show that regardless of practice specialty, PAs are responsible for a broad range of primary care tasks; most primary care tasks performed are fundamental and common to all PAs; and a significant difference exists among specialties, particularly responsibility level and the frequency of performing a specific task. The data do not address ability or expertise in performing those tasks.