History of the ISPA

The Irish Society of Physician Associates (ISPA) was established by the Royal College of Surgeons in 2015. The first cohort of Irish trained PAs entered the Irish healthcare system in January 2018. In May 2019, the members of the ISPA elected 5 new board members. These board members are graduates of the RCSI PA Masters Programme and are working as PAs in Ireland, across a variety of clinical specialties.

The ISPA was established to provide professional support to PAs, working in Ireland.

The ISPA aims to support both student and qualified PAs in their education, training, and continued professional development.

The ISPA aims to promote the profile of the PA profession in Ireland, by providing information regarding the profession to the general public, other healthcare professionals and employers.

The ISPA manages the Managed Voluntary Registry (MVR). In order to practice as a PA in Ireland, all PAs must be a member of the ISPA and must be listed on the MVR.