NCAPA Member Robin Hunter-Buskey, DHSc, CPHP, CCHP, CDCES, PA-C, Captain USPHS has been driven by the pursuit of service to others her whole life. A New York native, she is a graduate of the State University of New York (SUNY) at Stony Brook’s physical therapy and physician assistant (PA) programs, and a graduate of the University of Nebraska Medical Center (MPAS 2002) and A.T. Still University (DHSc 2012) (source: PA Hx Society).
Serving as a past president of the American Academy of Physician Associates’ (AAPA) PA Foundation from 1999-2001, she was also the first female PA to serve on the North Carolina Medical Board in 2000 (source: NCMB) and was named the AAPA Outstanding PA of the Year for 2009. Among her many leadership roles, she is currently the Secretary/Treasurer of the PA Hx Society.
Throughout her storied career, Robin has not only cared for patients in a variety of settings, but she continues to advocate for PAs on the state-level, the national stage, and beyond.
Journey to PA
Growing up in East Harlem, New York City, Robin initially pursued physical therapy, working in home health care for Montefiore Hospital and Medical Center in the Bronx. However, she felt a pull to pursue a different path. “During college, one of my jobs was actually working for the PA school and mimeographing documents, handouts, and exams for the program,” she told the NCAPA. “That’s where I learned about the PA role, got to see their classrooms, and learn about the difference they make.”
After deciding to return to school to become a PA, she attended and completed Stony Brook’s PA program. One of her first jobs after graduating the PA program was returning back to Montefiore Hospital and Medical Center – this time as a PA, where she spearheaded the opening of one of the first nursing homes found within a hospital.
Her time and training in New York led to involvement and leadership roles, like the New York State Society of PAs (NYSSPA), where she served as a past president. She has also served as a member of various health professional boards and committees, a consultant to the New York State Board for Physical Therapy, and a public member of the Board for Professional Medical Conduct (source: PA Hx Society).
In Service of Inmates and Incarcerated Patients
Moving to North Carolina, Robin began practicing internal medicine prior to joining the United States Public Health Service (USPHS), where she currently holds the rank of Captain. “I am a problem-solver at heart,” she said to the NCAPA. “And I am really motivated and driven by service to others.”
While in the USPHS, she was deployed to Liberia, working in the US Public Health’s Monrovia Medical Unit/Ebola Treatment Unit in 2015 (source: PA Hx Society). Additionally, Robin has also served as senior PA at the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ (FBOP) Medical Center in Butner, NC, where she worked with incarcerated patients who “were the sickest inmates in the system,” she said.
“I learned a lot about corrections, and it was also a great place to learn about medicine,” Robin shared. One of her mantras is to meet the patient where they are, and she strived to emulate this in her work at the FBOP.
“I’ve worked with inmates who are angry at a lot of people and are angry at the system,” she told the NCAPA. “I’ve had to work hard to get past that initial barrier. At the end of the day, their thank-you meant more to me, because I know the amount of effort it took to earn their trust.”
“Incarcerated men are medically underserved and medically illiterate. When you teach the patient to care for themselves, they heal better. You’re able to use that trust to help build that rapport and empower them to know how to take care of themselves.” –Robin Hunter-Buskey
While at the FBOP, Robin worked to enact programs and initiatives to improve the healthcare of inmates, and in 2012, became responsible for coordinating the activities of all PAs working in the FBOP correctional facilities throughout the United States (source: PA Hx Society).
The PA Profession & Beyond
Robin Hunter-Buskey served on the North Carolina Medical Board (NCMB) from 2000-2006 and was an active participant in NCMB and North Carolina Medical Society meetings. Viewing these opportunities as a privilege, Robin reflected, “I showed up to those meetings because I wanted to show that PAs are here and are ready.”
The NCAPA had asked Robin where she would like to see the PA profession progress in the next five to ten years. “There’s still so much work to be done. I would hope that PAs come out of their training embodying the true spirit of being PAs.”
In her free time, Robin enjoys spending time with her family, being involved in Zeta Phi Beta, and traveling, with a recent 2024 trip consisting of a cruise route to Portugal, Spain, Italy, and France.
Written by Pauline Bulala
NC Academy of PAs Communications Coordinator
