twitter Tweet

Ted Ruback Assumes Presidency of the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA)

Ted Ruback, MS, PA-C, program director and associate professor at the Oregon Health & Science University Physician Assistant (PA) Program recently assumed the presidency of the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA) Board of Directors.

Alexandria, VA — Ted Ruback, MS, PA-C, program director and
associate professor at the Oregon Health & Science University Physician
Assistant (PA) Program, assumed the presidency of the Physician
Assistant Education Association (PAEA) this month, his second year of a
three-year term of service as president elect, president, and past
president.


A PA educator for nearly 20 years, Ruback is the founding director of
the Oregon Health & Science University PA Program. He presently
serves as chair of the PA Committee of the Oregon Medical Board.
Ruback was instrumental in the design and implementation of PAEA’s
Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) and chair
of the CASPA Advisory Committee from 2001–2007. During his tenure,
nearly 100 PA programs joined the application service. The data
collected through the centralized process continues to inform the PA
profession about its national applicant pool. In 2006 Ruback received
PAEA’s Master Faculty Award.


Ruback has held numerous leadership roles in the four national PA
professional organizations and has been active at the university, state,
and national levels. Since 1997, he has been an accreditation site
evaluator for the profession’s accrediting body, the Accreditation Review
Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, and for the past
12 years, a delegate to the House of Delegates of the American Academy
of Physician Assistants (AAPA). In 2003, the Oregon Society of PAs
awarded Ruback its Past President Award and in 2002, its PA of the
Year Award.


Physician assistants (PAs) are licensed health care professionals who
practice medicine as members of a team with their supervising
physicians. PAs deliver a broad range of medical and surgical services to
diverse populations in rural and urban settings. As part of their
comprehensive responsibilities, PAs conduct physical exams, diagnose
and treat illnesses, order and interpret tests, counsel on preventive health
care, assist in surgery, and prescribe medications.


Established in 1972, PAEA is the only national organization in the United
States representing PA educational programs. Its mission is to pursue
excellence, foster faculty development, advance the body of knowledge
that defines quality education and patient-centered care, and promote
diversity in all aspects of PA education.

Previous Story Dr. Druker featured in new AAMC Reporter column exploring the motivation and work of scientists Next Story OHSU School of Medicine Student Senate announces High School scholarships