Bob Sachs, PA, DFAAPA, has been a key leader and advocate for the PA profession in California for several decades. He was the president of the California Academy of PAs in its early years and was a key regulator of PAs in the State for several years. He served as the chair of the PA committee of the California Medical Board and then later guided the transition of the committee to an independent regulatory board. Sachs has practiced cardiothoracic surgery at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine over 30 years with Dr. Vaughn Starnes.
Sachs has one older sister who grew up with him in the 1950s, which was a much simpler time. He recalls golfing with his dad and watching one of the three available channels, which went off the air at 10 pm on the family’s black and white TV. He has always been interested in boating and medicine, visiting different medical specialties as an Explorer Scout. His interest in medicine and boating led him to join the US Navy as a surgical technician, where he went to Vietnam as a member of the US Navy Special Forces Surgical team from 1968-1969. [Photograph to Right: 1988 California Academy of PAs “Pride of the Profession Award”]
After returning from Vietnam, Bob Sachs briefly left medicine to work as an officer for the LA Police Department (LAPD) for one year, a decision he came to regret as he still felt a passion for medicine. Sachs left the LAPD and went back to medicine, doing a three-month preceptorship. Sachs is one of the informally trained PAs, who took and passed the national certifying exam in 1984, becoming a cardiothoracic surgical PA. He has since worked in CT surgery for his entire career.
Sachs served on the PA committee and board for more than 25 years in CA, participating in the development and passing of the PA Practice Act and its associated regulations. He was the president of the California Academy of PAs in 1988 when then-Mayor Tom Bradley declared PA week for the city. Some significant accomplishments during his presidency include broadening the PA scope of practice in CA, developing PA prescribing regulations, improving ratios for supervising physicians, and educating the public about the PA profession. Sachs serves on the advisory committee of several PA programs and has been a mentor to many students and PAs throughout his career. He has received many awards from the CA state legislature, PA programs, the AAPA, and the California Academy of PAs. [Photograph to Right: Sachs (Left) with Dr. Vaughn Starnes]
Sachs still works a few days a week in CT surgery and spends his free time on the water with his wife, Joan. He is very involved with the yacht club, where he has served in several leadership positions and will serve as commodore in a few years.
Acknowledgments
This biography was written by Jed Grant with the assistance of Bob Sachs. It was submitted to the Society in July 2025. All photographs are courtesy of Mr. Sachs.
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