I Am NCAPA | 2019 PA of the Year, Carole Holt, PA-C

Carole Holt, PA-C, has been named the 2019 NCAPA PA of the Year! The timing of the award couldn’t be better this year, as we find ourselves in October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Carole spent many years treating individuals with breast cancer with great compassion and expert care.

Carole just retired this year, in July, after practicing as a PA for 41 years. When she retired, she was the Director of the Novant Health Oncology Specialists’ Cancer Prevention and Wellness Clinic, where she had been since 2015. Prior to that, she had spent many years working with Dr. Judy Hopkins in Medical Oncology. And, before turning her focus to oncology, she was the Executive Director of Planned Parenthood of the Triad, where she did preventative care for underserved patients.

Carole was instrumental in establishing the Cancer Prevention and Wellness Clinic, where she channeled her clinical expertise in breast cancer with a great desire to help healthy women decrease their cancer risk. Her commitment to providing quality healthcare was evident by her focus on patient education and empowerment by increasing awareness of behaviors to improve overall health.

Carole Holt, PA-C, center, with co-workers at the Cancer Prevention and Wellness Clinic

One of Carole’s co-workers explains that she “connected with patients in a way that far few providers seem to be able to do in today’s healthcare setting. She explained things in a way that people understood and they responded with trust and confidence.” Carole treated those individuals “more like a person than a patient.” Her dedication and enthusiasm “positively impacted the lives of innumerable patients and their families.”

Carole was also very much a team player. She made it a priority to network with other healthcare providers in radiology, pathology, surgery, and medical oncology – to customize care and treatment recommendations based on patient specifics, ensuring quality care. She clearly had great respect for her healthcare team members who, in turn, had great respect for Carole.

While there are so many great things to say about Carole Holt and her 41 years as a practicing PA, one of her peers sums it up quite nicely:

“She is an extraordinary Physician Assistant who epitomizes the very best of the profession.”

Congratulations, Carole! We’re thrilled to have you as a representation of the PA profession and wish you the best in retirement.