WI AB438

Replaces the title "physician assistant" with "physician associate" throughout Wisconsin statutes and renames the credentialing board to "Physician Associate Affiliated Credentialing Board"

Allows physician associates to practice independently without physician supervision after completing 7,680 hours of clinical practice under a supervisory or collaborative physician relationship, provided they maintained quality assurance documentation and professional physician relationships during that period

Requires physician associates providing invasive pain syndrome treatment to maintain a collaborative relationship with a pain management specialist, unless practicing in a hospital setting or holding hospital privileges for such procedures

Adds independently practicing physician associates as mandatory participants in the Injured Patients and Families Compensation Fund, requiring them to maintain malpractice liability insurance

Takes effect on the first day of the 10th month after publication, with emergency rulemaking authority effective immediately upon publication