PA Week celebrates 50 years of excellence and patient care

Megan Fulton

October 10, 2017

Physician assistants and MUSC PA students held free health screenings at North Charleston High School stadium last October for the Tri-county citizens who needed them.

Every year, we celebrate National Physician Assistant Week from Oct. 6-12, and recognize the important contributions that PAs make to MUSC’s health care system. This year, PA Week is especially exciting, as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the profession and 50 years of providing the best possible care to our patients.

PAs are nationally certified and state-licensed medical professionals who practice on health care teams with physicians and other providers. There are currently more than 115,000 PAs in the country and 1,480 PAs in South Carolina.

The profession is growing each year, which allows us to provide care to more patients, especially in underserved areas with challenging access to health care. We’ve accomplished a lot over the last five decades, and we’re ready for five more.

Here at MUSC, we believe in our PAs, and are proud of the hard work they do every day. During PA Week, we are proud to recognize the PAs and celebrate all they do for the health of the patients they serve. To celebrate National PA Week, we’re also planning events (see below) in collaboration with the APP Best Practice Center, APP Council and the PAS (Physician Assistant Studies) Program at MUSC.

"Part of our mission is to get the word out about PAs in South Carolina and all over the country by informing the public about who PAs are and why they continue to be an essential part of our health care team,” said Dustin Hayes, 2019 MUSC PAS class president.

PAs practice in every medical and surgical specialty. They also conduct physical exams, perform medical procedures, assist in surgery, counsel patients on preventive health care, coordinate patient care, make rounds in nursing homes and hospitals and conduct clinical research.

PAs are educated through graduate-level programs that average 27 months and require the same prerequisite courses as medical schools. All PA students complete at least 2,000 hours of clinical rotations, which cover every major specialty, from family medicine to general surgery to emergency medicine.

“MUSC wouldn’t be the same without the expertise of PAs on our patient-centered teams,” said Patrick J. Cawley, M.D., CEO of MUSC Health and Vice President for Health Affairs. “PA Week is a great opportunity to recognize them and to say thank you.”

Learn more about PA Week and the PA profession through the American Academy of Physician Assistants.

MUSC Physician Assistant Week 2017 Week of Oct. 9, Portico area, MUSC Colbert Library

MUSC PAs, PA Studies faculty and PA students will be offering free blood pressure screening during lunchtime to any health care team member, student or patient families. Partnering with MUSC Primary Care, PAs will be handing out information on how and where to schedule an appointment with one of our primary care providers.

Monday Oct. 9: 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Led by Gil Boissonneault, Ph.D., Faculty PAS Program)
Tuesday Oct. 10: 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Led by Cris Chillura, Faculty PAS Program)
Wednesday Oct. 11: 12 to 1 p.m. (Led by Rebecca Patton Cumbee, APP Council)
Thursday Oct. 12: 12 to 1 p.m. (Led by Lesli Woodall, Faculty PAS Program)
Saturday, Oct. 14: Hope for Healing Walk and free screening event

Community Event

Who: MUSC PAs and PAS students partner with Seacoast Church and the North Charleston Dream Center.

What: Free screening for the public: vital signs, eye/ear exam, nutrition/wellness/blood glucose screening, dermatological exam and dental screening in conjunction with the “Hope for Healing Walk.”

Where: North Charleston High School football stadium

Why: PAs and health care partners promoting health wellness and prevention.

When: Saturday, Oct. 14 from 8 to 11 a.m.

For more information, contact Skylar Stewart Clark, Ph.D., PA-C.

About the Author

Megan Fulton