North Carolina PAs dedicated to patient health while leading the way for the profession.
Shelda Amilcka, PA-C, was born and raised in Deerfield Beach, Florida. For undergrad, she attended the University of Florida where she received a Bachelor of Science in Health Education. Shelda then temporarily settled around different cities in Florida, farther and farther North, until she left the state and moved to North Carolina to attend PA school at Duke University. She graduated from Duke in 2014 and currently lives in Charlotte, NC. Shelda works with Novant Health in Outpatient Neurology, specializing in Sleep Medicine.
Shelda has been involved in leadership – whether with family, community, work, or school – in some form or another since middle school. She was initially exposed to PA leadership while attending the NCAPA Student Leadership Retreat while still in PA school. She was inspired by the PAs she had met at the retreat who were involved in PA leadership throughout the state and got more involved after becoming a practicing PA. She now serves as the Secretary for the Metrolina Association of Physician Assistants (MAPA), a regional chapter of NCAPA.
NCAPA membership has been a part of Shelda’s life since PA school. She was initially a student member and has been a Fellow member since becoming a practicing PA. She believes it is important to maintain membership in statewide PA organizations and that “it is on this local level that you can move the needle a little further and feel the effects a little more. Maintaining membership in NCAPA maintains the vigor of our profession by ways of advocacy, legislation, education, leadership, professional development, (and) networking. NCAPA membership offers the opportunity for every PA to be enriched in some form. If a NC PA did not have the ability to lend their time or efforts towards the work of NCAPA, at minimum, maintaining their membership helps support the PAs who do.”
Shelda hopes that PA practice in North Carolina will “continue to be innovative–innovative in our voice, innovative in our practice, innovative in our footprint, innovative in our platform.” She feels that “the establishment of (the PA) profession was innovative” and that “PAs are pioneering into new fields and setting new precedents in established fields. The possibilities are endless.” Shelda hopes to continue to see that level of creativity throughout the PA profession.
When asked what she loves about being a PA, Shelda states:
“One of the things I love most about being a PA is the multiformity. There is the ability to practice in one or several different fields in which we almost become jacks of all trades. We are able to launch into positions (where) “no PA has been before.” We are like sponges and are always learning and growing. We challenge ourselves. We are visionaries. I often say to aspiring PAs, I might be a little biased but being a PA is pretty awesome!”
Thank you for being an awesome PA, Shelda, and helping lead the way for others. The future of the PA profession is bright!
