Physician Assistant Business Cards for PA-C and Advanced Practice

Physician assistants are the advanced practice providers who deliver medical care — examining patients, ordering and interpreting diagnostic tests, developing treatment plans, prescribing medications, and performing procedures — under the supervision (and in many states, in collaboration with) a physician. PAs practice across virtually every medical and surgical specialty, from primary care and family medicine to cardiovascular surgery, dermatology, and emergency medicine.

PA Credential: PA-C

The credential displayed by PAs after passing the PANCE (Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam) administered by NCCPA (National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants) is:

• PA-C (Physician Assistant – Certified)
• Prior to 2021, the same credential was called PA-C; NCCPA also recognizes the display format "William Smith, PA-C"

The name change: NCCPA transitioned terminology to "Physician Associate" in 2021 to better reflect scope and reduce perceived dependency on physician supervision; "PA-C" remains the credential, but "Physician Associate" is an emerging title variation.

Additional credentials:

• CAQ (Certificate of Added Qualifications) — NCCPA specialty certificates:
• CAQ-EM (Emergency Medicine)
• CAQ-Hospital Medicine
• CAQ-Nephrology
• CAQ-Oncology
• CAQ-Orthopedic Surgery
• CAQ-Pediatrics
• CAQ-Psychiatry
• CAQ-Surgery
• DFAAPA (Distinguished Fellow, AAPA) — AAPA recognition
• AAPA member (American Academy of Physician Associates)
• State PA license

What PA Cards Include

Your Clinical Specialty

PAs practice across the full range of specialties — and the specialty is often more visible on the card than the title:

• Primary care/Family medicine: Full-scope primary care
• Emergency medicine: ED shifts, urgent care, Level I/II trauma
• Orthopedic surgery: Surgical first assist, clinic, fracture management
• Cardiothoracic surgery: Open heart surgery first assist, cardiac ICU
• Neurosurgery: Surgical first assist, spine, craniotomy
• Dermatology: Medical and surgical dermatology, Mohs surgery assist
• Oncology: Chemotherapy management, biologic therapy, clinical trials
• Psychiatry / behavioral health: Psychiatric medication management
• Hospital medicine: Inpatient medical care, co-management
• Urgent care: Episodic acute care

Your Clinical Setting

• Private physician practice
• Hospital-employed
• Academic medical center
• Urgent care chain
• Telehealth PA practice
• Rural health (solo PA primary care)

Design for PAs

Healthcare, Advanced Practice, Clinical Authority

PA card design:

• Advanced practice provider authority
• Specialty clinical focus
• Professional healthcare standard

Color palette:

• Navy + white: advanced practice professional
• Teal + white: clinical warmth
• Charcoal + white: surgical/specialty precision

Back of Card

1. "PA-C | Physician Assistant — Certified | [CAQ specialty] | AAPA | [State]"
2. "[Specialty: Family medicine | EM | Orthopedic | CT surgery | Dermatology | Psych]"
3. "[Clinical services: Diagnosis | Prescribing | Procedures | First assist | Clinic]"
4. "[Practice name] | [Hospital affiliation] | Accepting new patients"
5. "[phone] | [email] | [website / patient portal]"

Checklist

• [ ] PA-C credential (after name)
• [ ] NCCPA certification
• [ ] CAQ specialty (emergency, surgery, ortho, psychiatry, etc.)
• [ ] AAPA membership
• [ ] State PA license
• [ ] Clinical specialty
• [ ] Clinical capabilities (diagnosis, prescribing, procedures, first assist)
• [ ] Practice or hospital affiliation
• [ ] Accepting new patients
• [ ] Patient portal or scheduling link