With physician assistants (“PAs”) joining CPSO as regulated members, the College is taking steps to clearly identify the professional expectations that apply to them.

In general, the principles set out in CPSO policies apply to both physicians and PAs, and members of both professions are expected to comply with CPSO’s professional obligations.

However, CPSO has developed a dedicated draft PA-specific policy to identify specific CPSO policies with which PAs must comply and list key expectations from each policy relevant to PA practice. For example, the draft policy sets out expectations pertaining to boundaries, social media, and professional behaviour, but it also addresses high-risk areas like prescribing. The policy does not include obligations relating to responsibilities that are outside a PA’s scope, such as delegating to other health care providers or the delivery of Medical Assistance in Dying.

Your input is important to the development of our policies. Please provide your feedback through our consultation page by October 27, 2025.