“The diversity of the PA profession is impressive. The fact that we can graduate and go in any direction is powerful,” says Lisa Gennosa, PA-C, author of Incurable Hope: A Memoir and Survival Guide for Coping with a Loved One’s Addiction.
Lisa attended UNC Pembroke University and graduated with her bachelor’s degree in Biology. After years working in the pharmaceutical industry, Lisa was motivated to find a path that was more aligned with her passion for hands-on healthcare and preventative medicine. She then enrolled in the East Carolina University’s PA Program as a more seasoned student. She is currently practicing Family Medicine in rural Eastern North Carolina.
When NCAPA asked what her favorite thing is about being a PA, she says she “is truly humbled by the trust from [her] patients.” Regarding her role as a PA in Family Medicine, she enjoys taking care of families at every stage and having that long-term bond that spans multiple generations. With Family Medicine covering such a spectrum, Lisa loves being exposed to everything from Cardiology, to Dermatology, and everything in between.
Lisa’s upcoming book, Incurable Hope: A Memoir and Survival Guide for Coping with a Loved One’s Addiction, is both a personal memoir and a resource guide, telling the tale of her son’s struggle and triumphant journey after dealing with a substance use disorder. She tells NCAPA that piecing together her experience through storytelling was initially a form of therapy, but as she started chronicling her experience with honesty and transparency, she realized that others might benefit from what she had learned first-hand. Lisa says, “it really was the hardships, the mistakes, the embarrassing things that we did that makes up the memoir, as well as the accumulation of resources that can help people navigate this ‘complex’ experience.” Lisa shares that if she can help just one person, one patient, or one family going through this same journey, “…then the work is done. I’m happy. My son is alive today, and today is a good day, and he’s sober and doing well.” Lisa’s son is currently working as a behavioral health professional.
Lisa continues to advocate for those that struggle with substance use disorders, not only as a PA, but through her work with the Sheriff’s Heroin Addiction Recovery Program (SHARP) in the Pitt County Jail in Greenville, NC. She works personally with each individual, guiding them towards resources after going through the recovery program. When asked what she would be doing if she were not a PA, she says, “If I was not allowed to do medicine, I would be in theater or doing photography!”
Being a member of NCAPA has allowed Lisa to stay in touch with PA advocacy efforts through legislative updates and up-to-date communications.
“We’re proudly doing our jobs, but there is a whole army behind us, enabling us to do the work that we do. It takes all of that legislative work to be able to do so. What you all have done has really paved the way for us.”
Lisa Gennosa, PA-C, author of Incurable Hope: A Memoir and Survival Guide for Coping with a Loved One’s Addiction
To learn more about Lisa Gennosa and her upcoming book that is scheduled for release in April 2023, visit https://www.lisagennosa.com/
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