Progress by Design
Progress in our profession takes many forms: modernizing the laws that govern PA practice, strengthening clinical knowledge, serving our communities, and making intentional choices about the careers and lives we build.
In this issue, we begin by examining Ley 71 and the organized advocacy needed to move PA practice forward in Puerto Rico. We then turn to the complexities of female chronic pelvic pain and the importance of thoughtful, multidisciplinary care. Our spotlight stories show what service and leadership look like in practice, while Beyond the Paycheck invites us to reconsider how we define professional and financial success.
Together, these stories remind us that advancing the profession requires both collective action and individual purpose.
Let’s dive in.
🚨 News Alert:
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Meet AAMPR’s New Board ✶ Get to Know our Leaders
PA Student Loan Cuts Temporarily Reversed ✶ Contact Congress Today
📌 Jump to:
PA Practice & Advocacy
Rethinking Ley 71: Organizing and Moving Beyond the Current Inflection Point
Puerto Rico’s Ley 71 contains outdated and unclear statutory language that restricts Physician Associates from contributing to the full extent of their education and training. Modernizing the law could improve workforce flexibility, strengthen team-based care, and expand access to healthcare across the island.
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Takeaway: Modernizing Ley 71 means removing unnecessary barriers so Physician Associates can better serve Puerto Rico’s patients.
Advancing healthcare requires more than changing policy; it also requires the clinical knowledge to recognize complex conditions and respond with thoughtful, patient-centered care.
Science & Medicine
Female Chronic Pelvic Pain
Chronic pelvic pain affects many women but can be difficult to diagnose and treat. Kimberly Weikel, PA-C, and colleagues outline a trauma-informed, evidence-based approach to evaluating its gynecologic, gastrointestinal, urologic, and musculoskeletal causes. They also highlight multidisciplinary treatments, including hormonal therapy, pelvic floor physical therapy, trigger-point injections, and behavioral health support.
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Takeaway: A practical, trauma-informed guide to evaluating and treating female chronic pelvic pain.
Clinical knowledge creates lasting impact when professionals bring it into the communities they serve. The stories that follow reflect service across generations—from answering an urgent call after Hurricane María to strengthening PA practice in Puerto Rico today.
Service & Legacy
Answering the Call After Hurricane María: A Letter of Service and Gratitude
Maryann Ferrara Ramos, MPH, PA-C Emeritus, shares her story of traveling to Puerto Rico after Hurricane María to provide medical care in shelters throughout Ponce.
That legacy of service continues through PAs who remain deeply connected to their communities and help shape the profession’s future.
Spotlight Stories
Angélica C Villalobos Rivera, MPAS, PA-C | Serving Today, Shaping Tomorrow
Angélica C. Villalobos Rivera, MPAS, PA-C, shares her journey from growing up in Puerto Rico to practicing in ENT and aesthetics on the island. She discusses the rewards and challenges of serving her community, educating patients about the PA role, and helping establish a clearer professional identity for PA-Cs in Puerto Rico.
Takeaway: Every PA-C who stays, serves, and advocates helps move the profession forward in Puerto Rico.
Serving and advocating for our communities is meaningful work—but sustaining that commitment also requires us to protect our time, define our priorities, and build careers aligned with the lives we want.
Café con Propósito- Book Club
Beyond the Paycheck: Redefining Success as a Physician Associate
This essay explores how The PA Millionaire Path and The Psychology of Money reshaped the author’s understanding of financial success. Through her experience in emergency medicine, she reflects on using money not simply to build wealth, but to create greater freedom, flexibility, and a life aligned with her values.
Takeaway: Financial success is not just about accumulating wealth—it is about using money intentionally to build the life you truly want.
Purpose becomes progress when reflection leads to action. Explore the opportunities below to support our community, participate in advocacy, and help shape AAMPR’s next chapter.
📣 Updates & Quick Links:
About the AAMPR Newsletter
The AAMPR Newsletter is a quarterly publication dedicated to advancing awareness, advocacy, clinical education, and professional dialogue for Physician Associates in Puerto Rico. Through original articles, member stories, organizational updates, and opportunities for involvement, it connects our community and supports the continued growth of the profession across the island.
Disclosure: In this publication, “PA” refers to Certified Physician Associates (Asociados Médicos Certificados) in Puerto Rico, not the médico asistente profession on the island.
Learn More About AAMPR
Explore AAMPR’s mission, connect with our community, and discover ways to engage and contribute.
Until next quarter,
The AAMPR Newsletter Team