Paul Robinson, PA-C, (1953–2008) was a nationally respected leader in the physician assistant/physician associate profession whose career was marked by sustained service, advocacy, and dedication to patient care. Over nearly two decades, he contributed extensively to the American Academy of PAs (AAPA), the Wisconsin Academy of PAs (WAPA), and numerous national and state organizations. Robinson was elected president-elect of the AAPA in 2008, reflecting the high regard in which he was held by his peers nationwide. He was born on March 23, 1953, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and died unexpectedly on November 12, 2008, while returning from the American Medical Association House of Delegates.
Robinson was born and raised in Minnesota and graduated from John F. Kennedy Senior High School in Bloomington. He earned a bachelor of science degree in science and psychology, summa cum laude, from the University of Wisconsin–Superior. He completed his physician assistant education at Kettering College of Medical Arts in Dayton, Ohio, in 1990. He later attended graduate studies in emergency medicine at Alderson-Broaddus University, though he did not complete the master’s degree.
Robinson’s involvement in professional leadership began early in his PA career. While still a student, he was elected president of the Student Academy of the American Academy of PAs, serving from 1989 to 1991. During this period, he served on the Student Academy Board and concurrently as an ex officio member of the AAPA Board of Directors. These early leadership roles marked the beginning of a lifelong commitment to advancing the PA profession through organized medicine, governance, and advocacy.
Clinically, Robinson practiced primarily in emergency medicine and occupational medicine, with additional experience in urology and orthopedics.
His leadership at the state level was particularly notable through the Wisconsin Academy of PAs. He served on the Wisconsin PA Foundation, represented Wisconsin as a delegate to the AAPA House of Delegates for seven years, served two terms as president of WAPA, and held roles as publisher of the WAPA Spectator and as a member of the Public Relations Committee.
At the national level, Robinson maintained continuous service within AAPA. His contributions included service on the Physician Assistant Foundation, the Public Education Committee, the Conference Planning Committee, the Nominating Committee, and the Professional Practice Council. In 2002, he chaired the AAPA House of Delegates Reference Committee B and was elected first vice speaker of the House of Delegates, serving three years in that role. He was subsequently elected speaker of the AAPA House of Delegates, serving three years, before being elected president-elect of the AAPA in 2008, a role he held at the time of his death.
Robinson also contributed to emergency medicine and public health through service with the National Association of EMS Physicians, where he served on the rural affairs, nominations, and legislative affairs committees. His community involvement included service as medical director for the River Falls Area Ambulance Service, board service with Turningpoint Domestic Violence Shelter, participation in the Minnesota Department of Health Study on Rural Emergency Medical Services, and long-standing involvement with the River Falls Hockey Association.
Ice hockey was a lifelong passion for Robinson. He played hockey in high school and college and remained active for many years in an ”old-timers” league. He served on the board of the local youth hockey association and was instrumental in securing grant funding and leading fundraising efforts that enabled the association to build its own hockey rink. That facility continues to serve both the youth hockey program and local high school teams, representing a lasting contribution to the community.
Robinson married Dianne Hansen on September 22, 1984, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Waupaca, Wisconsin. Together they raised two children, Amanda and Aaron. His personal history also included earlier service as a Minnesota state trooper and training at the NHL referee school, further reflecting his enduring connection to the sport of hockey.
Throughout his career, Robinson was deeply committed to leadership development within the PA profession. He believed strongly in cultivating future leaders and viewed leadership as essential to strengthening a young and evolving profession, as well as to fostering collaboration between physician organizations and the AAPA. Colleagues frequently noted the sense of trust, respect, and collegiality that characterized the teams with which he worked, often citing Robinson as the catalyst for that culture. Beyond his formal accomplishments, his greatest contribution was his belief in the potential of others and his ability to build leadership teams that functioned not merely as organizations, but as communities.
Acknowledgments:
This biography was written by Stephen Hanson, Dianne Robinson, Mike Conard, Alan Hull, and Susan Kepes. It was submitted to the Society in March 2026. Photographs are courtesy of the PA History Society’s Photograph Collection and of Mr. Hanson.
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