Archival Research
What is a Finding Aid?
A finding aid is a document containing detailed information about a specific collection of papers or records within an archive. On this page are the finding aids for the collections held in the archives of the PA History Society. Need help with your searching? Click here!
Alderson Broaddus Physician Assistant Program Records, 1968-1972
Description: The collection contains papers, correspondence, magazines, newspaper and magazine clippings, photographs and oral history interviews conducted with key individuals who helped establish the Program and who knew Dr. Hu Myers.
American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) Records, 1972-2001
Description: Established in 1968, the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) is the national professional society for PAs. This collection contains early administrative records, correspondence, publications, and reports.
American Registry of Physicians’ Associates Records, 1971-1972
Description: The American Registry of Physician’s Associates (ARPA) started in 1970 to determine the competence of the PA profession through examinations and investigative studies of individual PAs. It was a precursor to the NCCPA, which was formed in 1974. The collection contains individual membership files for physician assistants who applied and were accepted for registration in the organization from 1971 to 1972.
Association of PAs in Obstetrics and Gynecology (APAOG) Papers, 1991-2010
Description: The Association of PAs in Obstetrics and Gynecology was officially formed in 1992 by Rebecca Lehman. It started from a discussion to gauge interest in forming an OB/GYN specialty group in 1991 at an AAPA Conference. Collection contains meeting minutes, photographs, conference flyers and brochures, newsletters, and other documents of the Association of PAs in Obstetrics and Gynecology (APAOG).
Ballweg, Ruth Collection, 1972-2019
Description: Ballweg is a Professor Emeritus at the University of Washington MEDEX Northwest’s Department of Family Medicine. She is active in the international development of the PA profession in her consultant role as Director of International Relations with the NCCPA. Materials include personal papers, minutes of organizational meetings, photographs, artifacts, correspondence, and materials on international PA programs and the PA profession on an international level.
Bartow, James M. Papers, 1969-1986
Description: Bartow was the first physician assistant to be hired full-time to work on the staff of the AAPA and helped to organize the AAPA State Chapters. The collection contains correspondence, brochures, publications, certificates and plaques ranging from his PA student days to his position at AAPA.
Bilack, Jack J. Collection, 2011
Description: Small collection containing correspondence, newspaper clippings, and other materials of James J. Bilack.
Carter, Reginald Collection, 1972-2008
Description: Carter was the program director of Duke University’s PA program from 1972-2001, was a president of PAEA from 1981-1982, and co-founded the PA History Society in 2002. Collection contains promotional materials from AAPA, PA Foundation, NCCPA, PA History Society, and Duke, and AAPA constituent chapters and organization materials.
Cassidy, Barry A. Papers, 1970-1971
Description: Cassidy was an officer of the Eugene Stead Jr. Student Society at Duke University in 1971. The collection includes correspondence, AAPA guidelines for establishing PA program student chapters, and materials related to the development and publication of the first Stead Society newsletter.
Colver, Judi Papers, 1971-2008
Description: The collection consists of photocopied articles from 1971-2003, a book containing the medical prints of Frank Netter, and recordings from the first PA History Society Board of Trustees meeting as a supporting organization of the AAPA.
Ellis, Marcia Collection, 1992, 1994
Description: Small collection containing newspaper clippings and newsletters highlighting Marcia Ellis’ work as a PA at Sindecuse Health Center.
Ferrell, Kenneth Papers, 1968-1989
Description: Ferrell was one of the first three PAs to be trained in the United States. The materials in the collection include early editions of AAPA bylaws, brochures, certificates, AAPA and North Carolina Academy of Physician Assistants (NCAPA) newsletters, correspondence, newspaper clippings, manuscripts, and reprints.
Fichandler, Bruce Collection, 1990,1993,1998
Description: This collection contains a memorandum from the AAPA Public Relations Committee to Constituent Organizations explaining a sample article about PAs working in hospital settings; an explanation, a script and slides for a presentation produced by the AAPA titled, Physician Assistants PArnters in Medicine; a folder with information and brochures relating the organization Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD); and an article sent to the AAPA Board of Directors and House of Delegates from the APAP titles, Blue Ribbon Panel Report on Physician Assistant Program Expansion. The collection also houses several photographs from the 1993 AAPA Annual Conference.
Fitzgerald, Marilyn American Academy of PAs Collection, 1968-2012
Description: Contains digital copies of correspondence, meeting minutes, and other materials gathered while Marilyn Fitzgerald was employed with the American Academy of PAs.
Foley, Dennis Collection, 1973-1980
Description: Foley was a MEDEX Northeast graduate from Dartmouth Medical School, 1973. Materials include certification acceptance letter, MEDEX program for certification ceremony, AAPA newsletter, and MEDEX New England preceptor Packet.
Georgia Academy of PAs Papers
Description: These records consist of meeting minutes, newsletters and other materials relating to the early years of the Georgia Academy of Physician Assistants (GAPA). The newsletters are of special interest as they capture the history of not only the PA profession in Georgia, but also on a national level.
Gerbert, Deborah Collection, 2003-2007
Description: Two CDs containing the House of Delegates meeting agendas from 2003-2009. 2008 is missing. Copies of the contents can be found on the PAHx external hard drive
Godkins, Thomas R. Collection, 1968-1993
Description: Godkins served twice as president of the AAPA and was the first non-physician of the Association of Physician Assistant Programs (now PAEA). Types of materials include early editions of AAPA bylaws, brochures, AAPA newsletters, correspondence, newspaper and magazine clippings, manuscripts, and reprints.
Gray, Dana Papers, 1971-2007
Description: Gray was an early cardiovascular surgery PA and worked with endoscopic vein harvesting. Main topics of the collection are: AAPA constituent chapters, AAPA House of Delegates, PAEA/APAP, PA Legislation, and other PA legal matters. Collection includes correspondence, policy manuals, guidelines, committee materials and minutes, reports, reprints, and newsletters.
Green, Jonathan R. C. Collection, 1994-1998
Description: Materials include manuscript describing Green’s experiences as a student in the US Army Academy of Health Sciences PA Program in 1981, a memorandum concerning medical treatment facility commanders, and an article Green had written.
Harbert, Kenneth R. Papers, 1969-2016
Description: Harbert is a stanch supporter and leader of the AAPA Veterans Caucus throughout his over 35 years as a PA. The types of materials include early editions of AAPA bylaws, AAPA Veterans Caucus materials, brochures, certificates, AAPA and North Carolina Academy of PAs newsletters, digital photographs, newsletter clippings, manuscripts, and reprints.
Heard, Henry: Georgia Association of Physician Assistants Collection, 1981-2005
Description: Heard is a former president of the Georgia Association of Physician Assistants (GAPA). The collection contains materials from the GAPA. Examples of materials are: GAPA newsletters, timeline, members directory, performance audit results, meeting minutes and other board materials, a transcription concerning the history of GAPA, and photographs.
Heinrich, J. Jeffrey Papers, 1970-1998
Description: Heinrich was the first president of the Student Academy of AAPA (SAAAPA) and a co-founder and the first president of the PA History Society. The collection contains materials from when he was president of SAAAPA and includes legal documents, correspondence, newsletters, minutes of early AAPA board meetings, transcripts of oral history interviews reports and brochures.
Hooker, Roderick Papers, 1981-2010, 2017
Description: Collection contains subject files from Hooker’s research, such as statistical data and information on PAs, reprints, correspondence, reports, conference proceedings, publications, photographs, research proposals, congressional testimony, and materials concerning international PA programs.
Hoskins, Samuel University of Alabama Birmingham Collection, 1975
Description: Part of the Small Collections. Two letters and one bullet list dealing with the termination of the University of Alabama – Birmingham Physician Assistant Program and the effort to reestablish it.
Hunter-Buskey, Robin Collection, 1994-2007
Description: Collection includes materials gathered while Robin Hunter-Buskey served on the National Commission on Certification of PAs Board of Directors. These include booklets from the Federation of State Medical Boards, talking points on the maintenance of licensure and the possible name change of the profession, a copy of the 1999 AAPA President’s Report, and a draft of the NCCPA’s Report of the Task Fore on Pharmacology Content. Also in the collection is a copy of Robin Hunter-Buskey’s notification letter that she was selected to serve on the North Carolina Medical Board and clippings on Kenneth Moritsugu.
Joyner, Stephen L. Papers, 1964-1991
Description: Joyner was a founding member of the AAPA. Types of materials include correspondence, newspaper clippings, a scrapbook, and memorabilia concerning Medicare reimbursement for PAs and the Carolina Organ Procurement Agency.
Kalachman, Marvin, 2004c
Description: Kalachman served as president of the Alabama Society of Physician Assistants and on various medical boards in Alabama. This small collection containing articles about an Alabama Supreme Court ruling favorable to PAs in Alabama and a biography of Kalachman taken from a website of a clinic he worked in.
Lewis, Charles Papers, 1961-1998
Description: Contains the papers of Charles C. Lewis, a United States Navy Hospital Corpsman who was among the early graduates of the Duke University Medical Center Physician Assistant Program. Types of materials include photographs and artifacts.
Lombardo, Paul Collection, 1993-2005
Description: The Lombardo Collection contains two series. Series 1 is comprised of materials, such as correspondence, meeting minutes, and reports relating to Paul Lombardo’s time serving on the Physician Assistant Foundation Board. Series 2 is made of meeting minutes, board materials, correspondence and photographs relating to Paul Lombardo’s time as president of the Physician Assistant Education Association (at the time called the Association of Physician Assistant Programs).
McCollough, Barney E. Collection
Description: McCollough was the 40th PA in the US to graduate (Class of ’72 from UAB) and the first PA to practice in Florida. Collection contains newspaper articles focused on McCollough’s career as a PA, graduation photographs and materials from University of Alabama – Birmingham’s PA Program , a copy of his diploma from the program, and a copy of his State License to Practice from Iowa.
McCullough, George Papers, 1977-1988, 1998, 2007
Description: McCullough was the first PA to work in the White House. The collection contains correspondence, articles, a resume, a business card, and photographs.
Miller, Anthony Papers, 1993-2000
Description: Miller is a past president of the Association of Physician Assistant Programs (APAP), now known as the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA). This collection contains documentation and correspondence relating to APAP’s Defining Future Characteristics of Physician Assistant Education project (1997) and the creation and first few years of the Leadership Training Institute.
Mittman, David Papers, 1971-2013
Description: Mittman was a founding member and past president of the New York State Society of Physician Assistants. Materials include, correspondence, newsletters, and reprints concerning AAPA and drug prescription authority for PAs. Photographs mainly from the March on Trenton, New Jersey, and artifacts.
Mr TIB (Test Item Bank) Collection, 1980-1991
Description: Mr TIB (Test Item Bank) was the first computerized test item bank specifically intended to assistant PA students in their self-evaluation efforts. This collection contains materials dealing with Mr. TIB which was developed by the University of Nebraska PA Program in conjunction with participating PA programs throughout the USA.
Myers, Nelson E. Papers, 1962-2003
Description: This collection contains correspondence, newsletters, clippings, manuscripts, bulletins, pamphlets and educational materials related to working in a cardiovascular laboratory, being a physician assistant student and working as a physician assistant for over 35 years. The collection also contains a book of letters of appreciation written to Dr. Eugene A. Stead by PAs and former colleagues and correspondence related to the death of Richard (Dick) Scheele.
National Commission on the Certification of PAs Collection, 1981, 1997-2022
Description: The collection consists of physical communications sent out to certified physician assistants from the National Commission on the Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA). These communications consist of newsletters (NCCPA News), Commission Update, and Certification Standard. Also a calendar from 2004. After 2004, all newsletters and other general communications from the NCCPA were digital.
Pedersen, Don Collection, 1968-2001
Description: Collection consists of materials from early PA meetings held at Duke, PA legislation (both in Utah and in US in general), and NCCPA conference and committee materials and correspondence.
Physician Assistant History Society Records, 1999-2011
Description: Collection contains the administrative records for the PA History Society and its affiliate, the PA History Center, from their inception in 1999 to 2011 when the Society became a supporting organization of the NCCPA.
Physician Assistants for Latino Health Caucus Collection, 1994-2009
Description: Collection contains documentation and publications of the Physician Assistants for Latino Health (PALH). Collection also contains meeting minutes, promotional flyers, newsletters, member directories, and among other materials.
Piemme, Thomas Collection, 1968-2014
Description: This collection has meeting minutes and materials from APAP Board Meetings. It also has subject materials regarding the history of the four national PA organizations (AAPA, PAEA, NCCPA, and ARC-PA). These materials were gathered as reference materials for what would become the book, The Physician Assistant: An Illustrated History. There are also materials and correspondence relating to Dr. Piemme’s time on the PA History Society Board and later as its President.
Reed, Ray Collection, 1970-1972
Description: The collection consists of digital photographs and a CD with digital copies of scrapbooks from 1970, 1971, and 1972. The scrapbooks contain mostly photographs and newspaper clippings from the MFSS newspaper. Photographs in the collection are high quality copies taken for use in the articles featured in the newspaper the Ft. Sam Houston Patriot.
Rensch, Richard “Dick” Collection, 1977-1990
Description: The Richard “Dick” Rensch Collection contains articles where he is featured, his platform when he ran for the AAPA Board in 1978, correspondence relating to the NCCPA Recertification Exam in the early 1980s, and he 2000 AAPA HoD Committee pamphlet where is featured on the Nominating Committee.
Rohrs, Richard Collection, 1975-2015
Description: The collection contains materials that highlight aspects of Rohrs’s career as a PA, such as AAPA House of Delegates and Board of Directors materials, general correspondence, materials relevant to the spread of the PA profession overseas to Canada and China, and early curriculum materials for the PA programs of John Hopkins/Essex Community College.
Sadler, Alfred M., Jr. Collection 1972, 1974, 2014
Description: Sadler was helped set up the NCCPA and APAP (now PAEA) organizations. He became the first president of the APAP board and is a former president of the PA History Society. This small collection contains an article about the first class of the Yale PA program, a 1974 newsletter from APAP (now PAEA) featuring Sadler, and a 2014 PAEA Awards program in which Sadler received the Distinguished Service Award.
Scancarelli, James “Jim” Papers, 2016-2017
Description: Collection contains originals, printed copies and checking proofs of the daily “Gasoline Alley” cartoon strips featuring the character Chipper Wallet, PA-C. Additional materials are correspondence between artist Scancarelli and Reginald Carter and Chipper Wallet’s honorary AAPA membership card.
Signorini, William Collection, 1973-1975, 1980, 1985-1986
Description: Collection consists of AAPA annual conference pamphlets for 1973, 1974, 1975, 1980, 1985, and 1986.
Simons, Gerald Collection, 1993-2006
Description: This small collection contains minute meetings and correspondence relating to the New York State Society of PAs, correspondence about legislation and other issues of concern to the American Academy of Surgical PAs (AASPA), PA student handbooks for Cornell University, promotional materials for the PA profession, and a copy of a PA Day Proclamation for Florida.
Stanhope, William ” Bill” Papers, 1972-1985, 1996-1998, 2005
Description: Contains the papers of William “Bill” Stanhope, first president of the American Academy of Physician Assistants. Types of materials include papers of Stanhope’s students, AAPA Board of Directors meeting minutes, and a photographs of the graduating PA classes of Oklahoma University.
Stead, Eugene A. Jr. Papers, 1906-2006
Description: Stead is recognized as the founder of the PA profession. His collection consists mainly of museum items that are on display at the Stead Center in Durham, NC and publications which our housed with the PA History Society’s library materials. His archival collection includes photographs and a notebook of he kept on his rounds at Boston Hospital.
Student Academy of the AAPA Administrative Records, 1972-1982
Description: The collection contains the administrative records for the SAAAPA between 1972-1982, such as board meeting materials, reports, governance materials, and correspondence.
Swanson, Robert Public Health Service Academy of PAs Collection, 1977-2010
Description: Collection consists of meeting minutes, both for the Public Health Service Academy of PAs (PHSAPA) and for outside meetings where PHSAPA had sent a representative; correspondence; PHSAPA newsletters; concept designs for logos and organization coins; bylaws and constitution changes and updates; and other miscellaneous documents relating to the PHSAPA.
Vanderbilt, Clara E. Papers, 1970-1987
Types of materials include correspondence, meeting agenda books, committee materials, minutes, subject files, reports, reprints, pamphlets, photographs, and newsletters on topics like the New York State Society of Physician Assistants, AAPA, NCCPA, PAEA, certification and recertification, continuing medical education, Medicare reimbursement, legislation and legal affairs, specialty physician assistant programs, and surgical assistants.
VonSeggen, Wayne W. Papers, 1990-2000
VonSeggen was the first PA to be appointed to the North Carolina Medical Board. The collection includes committee materials, legal materials, reprints, newsletters, correspondence, board hearings, reports, and brochures. Topics include PA legislation and regulation, North Carolina Medical Board, PA Issues, and PA drug prescription authority.
Weaver-Bailey, Ellen Collection, 1976-1991
The collection consists of pamphlets and handouts from the late 1970s to early 1980s, newspaper clippings and copies of clippings relating to Ellen Weaver-Bailey and PAs in Ohio, and board meeting minutes of the Ohio Association of Physician Assistants.
Whittaker, Roger Collection, 1966-1990
Whittaker is known for his participation in the Shasta County vs Whittaker court case that set the groundwork for non-physician healthcare providers in California. The collection contains materials related to the court case, AAPA newsletters, newspaper clippings, and his obituary.
