A Beautiful PA Life

2. More than just an "assistant:" We NEED PA advocacy with Kris Pyles-Sweet, DMSc, PA-C

Episode Summary

Join me on this week's episode of A Beautiful PA Life Podcast as I welcome Kris Pyles-Sweet, DMSc, PA-C, a PA for over 25 years and the Secretary-Treasurer of the AAPA. Kris shares her journey in advocacy, spurred by a pivotal moment when her supervising physician unexpectedly passed away, highlighting the importance of legislation that upholds Optimal Team Practice. Kris addresses barriers to advocacy within the PA profession and encourages PAs to get involved in advocacy efforts. She also shares her vision for the future of the PA profession and her impact as AAPA's Secretary-Treasurer.

Episode Notes

Episode Title

More than just an "assistant:" We NEED PA advocacy with Kris Pyles-Sweet, DMSc, PA-C

Episode Breakdown 

Kris Pyles-Sweet, DMSc, PA-C, is a PA with over 25 years of experience in a multiple specialties. She is also the Secretary-Treasurer of the American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) and PA practice owner and she joins A Beautiful PA Life Podcast today to share her journey in advocacy and discuss the importance of Optimal Team Practice. She recounts a pivotal moment in her career when her supervising physician unexpectedly passed away, leaving her unable to legally provide care to her patients. This personal experience with a significant barrier to providing care to her patients instantly sparked her passion for advocating for the PA profession. She did not want other PAs to experience the same barriers she was encountering in her own practice. Kris was involved in drafting the Optimal Team Practice recommendations (under the name "Full Practice Authority") with PAs for Tomorrow and emphasizes the need for laws to reflect the actual current way in which PAs practice medicine. She also discusses the barriers to advocacy within the PA profession, including the tendency to embody the name "assistant" rather than actively pursuing advocacy for the profession. Kris encourages PAs to get involved in advocacy by knowing their federal and state laws, joining local and regional PA organizations, and contributing (even just $25!) to PA political action committees (PACs). She practices servant leadership and believes in the importance of educating and supporting PAs as the future of the profession. Kris concludes by sharing her vision for the future of the PA profession and the impact she hopes to make in her role as AAPA's Secretary-Treasurer.

Episode Pearls

• Advocacy is crucial for the PA profession, and PAs should be knowledgeable about their laws and get involved in state organizations and political action committees.
• Barriers to practice, such as the reluctance to advocate for oneself, need to be addressed within the PA profession.
• Servant leadership involves educating and supporting others in the profession, and PAs should strive to be servant leaders.
• Optimal Team Practice is the future of the PA profession - we must ensure that laws reflect the current practice of PAs.
• Self-care is essential to prevent burnout and maintain a fulfilling career as a PA.

More Information on Today's ABPAL Podcast Guest

You can find Kris Pyles-Sweet, DMSc, PA-C on Instagram at @pa.pylessweet.