What Are the Benefits of Joining GAPA as a Member?

Joining GAPA (the Georgia Academy of Physician Associates) gives PAs, PA students, and Pre-PA students a combination of advocacy, continuing medical education (CME), professional networking, and mentorship. According to GAPA's own description, the organization works to give Physician Assistants a voice in legislation, protect the right to practice, and provide connections and education. Membership is open through the "Join Us!" / "Join GAPA" entry point on gapa.net, and the same path is used to renew an existing membership.

What membership is designed to provide

GAPA's stated mission centers on four things: empowering PAs with a legislative voice, protecting the right to practice, providing meaningful connections, and offering quality education. The membership pitch on the site frames joining or renewing as a way to:

• Better serve your patients
• Provide outreach to the medically underserved
• Strengthen your profession
• Network with colleagues
• Celebrate your accomplishments

If your main reason for joining is advocacy or protecting scope of practice, that is the benefit GAPA leads with. If your main reason is education or networking, those are covered through the events and programs below.

Education: the Annual CME Conference

The most concrete member-facing benefit described on the site is the GAPA Annual CME Conference. The site references a 2026 conference and notes that the 2027 Summer CME Conference is scheduled for 1–3 July 2027 at Sandestin Resort (Destin). A separate note thanks attendees of a past conference held in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

For planning purposes, treat the conference as the anchor event for earning CME and for in-person networking. The site lists a "Learn More" path for the conference and a "See Full List of Upcoming and Past Events" link, so check those pages for registration and agenda details rather than assuming dates beyond what is posted.

Networking, mentorship, and the Pre-PA pathway

GAPA offers Pre-PA students the chance to join and take part in the Pre-PA Engage Program, which the site describes as providing mentorship support while navigating the PA journey. This is the clearest structured mentorship benefit mentioned.

Beyond that, the site's navigation points to several community and engagement areas:

The site also lists a "GAPA Representative & Faculty Contact Form," which implies a channel for faculty and representative involvement, though the specific terms are not detailed on the homepage.

Advocacy and PAC donations

GAPA states that it protects the right to practice and gives PAs a voice in legislation. The site includes a Donate to PAC option alongside the membership call-to-action, separating political action committee giving from membership dues. If advocacy is your priority, note that PAC donation appears to be a distinct action from joining.

How to join or renew

1. Go to gapa.net.
2. Use the "Join Us!" or "Join GAPA" link (also shown as "Become a Member").
3. Complete the membership signup; the same entry point is described for renewing an existing membership.
4. For Pre-PA students, look for the Pre-PA Engage Program option when joining.

For questions, the site lists a contact email, [email protected], and a mailing address: PO Box 12554, San Antonio, TX 78212. A Member Login is also available for existing members.

What the site does not specify

The homepage does not publish membership pricing, dues tiers, or whether any content requires login beyond the member area. It also does not detail CME credit hours or registration costs for the conference. Confirm those details directly through the Join GAPA and CME Conference pages or by emailing [email protected] before you commit.