MAPA wins 2080 hour legislative victory before adjournment.
We are excited to announce the passage of revisions to the 2080-hour rule in Minnesota Statute 147A.02, qualifications for licensure, which will take effect on August 1, 2025.
Why were these changes necessary? The 2080-hour rule was designed to ensure that new graduates have a collaborative agreement in place during their first year of practice—a critical time for professional development. The recent update allows experienced PAs applying for licensure in Minnesota to count their prior clinical experience toward this 2080-hour requirement.
Additionally, the second change clarifies that a collaborative agreement does not define the specific services a PA may provide. Instead, it outlines the level and scope of collaboration needed between the PA and their collaborating physician.
The changes are shown below. Additions in bold. Deletions use strike through. The remainder is existing statutory language.
(c) A physician assistant who qualifies for licensure must practice for at least 2,080 hours, within the context of a collaborative agreement, within a hospital or integrated clinical setting where physician assistants and physicians work together to provide patient care. The physician assistant shall submit written evidence to the board with the application, or upon completion of the required collaborative practice experience. For purposes of this paragraph, a collaborative agreement is a mutually agreed upon plan for the overall working relationship and collaborative arrangement between a physician assistant, and one or more physicians licensed under chapter 147 or licensed in another state or United States territory, that designates the scope of services that can be provided, collaboration necessary to manage the care of patients. The physician assistant and one of the collaborative physicians must have experience in providing care to patients with the same or similar medical conditions. The collaborating physician is not required to be physically present so long as the collaborating physician and physician assistant are or can be easily in contact with each other by radio, telephone, or other telecommunication device.