The Pulse | October 2015

In this issue:

 

President’s Message

 

North Carolina General Assembly Adjourns 2015 Session

 

PA Seat Open on NC Medical Board

 

Service on the NC Medical Board: Reflections of a PA

 

NCAPA Election Results

 

Registration is Open!  30th Annual NCAPA Recertification Exam Review Conference

 

PA of the Year: Gloria Jordan, PA-C

 

The American Dream: My Journey to Becoming a PA

 

PAs: We Have Arrived

 

Stop the Bleed

 

PA Highlight: Dave Henderson, PA-C

 

NCAPA Regional Chapter Updates

 

PA Voices Heard Regarding PANRE

 

2015 NCAPA Endowment Student Scholarship Winners

 

NCAPA Endowment Scholarship Thank You

 

Health Campaign Seeks To Motivate, Help NC Smokers To Quit

 

Welcome Members!

 

 

President’s Message

 by Marc Katz, PA-C

North Carolina loves PAs.  NCAPA continues to deliver this message and provide information on the importance of PAs, not only to our legislators but also to our patients, family, and friends throughout the state. PA Week, (some of you may remember it being only one day!), provides us an opportunity to educate the public and our fellow healthcare partners on the role of PAs and the profession.  As our profession matures, we continue to face new challenges internally and externally. Name change issues and more autonomy have continued to be heavily debated topics in PA forums and discussions. Changes in the delivery of health care, the shift to health care employers, and more complex treatment algorithms make our everyday life more challenging. Despite these challenges, our profession remains strong and poised to enter our second half century of existence.

I have been fortunate to represent the NCAPA through a variety of opportunities over this past month.  Early in September, I and others met with the NCAPA Endowment to discuss the strengthening of the philanthropic arm of our Academy.  A week later, I was privileged to present to the members of the North Carolina Medical Board, which culminated in a lively and educational question and answer session.  During the last week of September, I moderated and presented at the Far West NC Physician Extender Associates CME Conference in Balsam and had the chance to speak with several PAs at the NCAPA sponsored networking event afterwards.  This month, I am planning to attend another NCAPA networking event on Friday, October 16th at Noble’s Grille in Winston-Salem.  On Saturday, October 17^th, I will be attending the Piedmont Association of PAs Fall Conference.

I regret to announce that our Executive Director, Cathie Feild, has submitted her resignation and will be retiring in early 2016. We knew when we hired Cathie that she might be with us for only a few years, as she had eyes towards retirement. We also knew that even during that short amount of time, Cathie would prove invaluable to the organization. She has helped us strengthen the Academy infrastructure and has provided NCAPA a solid foundation for the future.  The Executive Committee is undertaking a search for the next Executive Director.

With NCAPA elections past and committee chairs appointed and approved by the Board for 2016, it is time to look forward. Your President-Elect, Wanda Hancock, already has plans for continued leadership training and a vision for the future.

As always, I am available for questions, comments or concerns. Please email me at pacmarckatz@mac.com

Thank you,

Marc Katz, PA-C

 

North Carolina General Assembly Adjourns 2015 Session

by Sarah Wolfe, Assistant Vice-President, McGuire Woods Consulting

The North Carolina General Assembly officially wrapped up their legislative business for the year after pulling an all-nighter during the last week of September. House and Senate legislators both cast their last votes of this year’s legislative session a little after 4 a.m. on September 30, 2015.

State lawmakers convened for the 2015 legislative session in late January and it was expected that they would adjourn for the year by the time the new fiscal year began on July 1. Due to a budget stalemate between the two Republican majority chambers, as well as disagreements on Medicaid reform, job recruitment financial incentives, and tax policy, negotiations stalled for weeks at a time between the two chambers. After compromises were made on the state budget and Medicaid reform in September, the flow of bills through committees and onto the chamber floors began again.

Most legislation that reaches the Governor’s desk is non-controversial, ranging from routine tweaks to the state laws to bills that only impact a specific local government. There were, however, several large bills that made it to the Governor’s desk, especially in the last days of the 2015 session. Substantial bills passed this year include: a $2 billion infrastructure bond referendum, which will be on NC’s 2016 primary election ballots, regulations on ride-hailing apps such as Uber or Lyft, and legislation that moves the presidential primary election to March 15, 2016. Several big-ticket items were left on the table to be taken up next year, as well. For example, a plan to curb employee misclassification was derailed during the last few days of session after concerns were raised by local newspapers over how newspaper carriers would be classified under the potential new law.

Additionally, during the final two weeks of session, several health care-related bills landed on the Governor’s desk:

H297, End Marketing/Sale Unborn Children Body Parts: Requires informed consent for the donation of the remains of an unborn child and prohibits the sale of any aborted or miscarried material or remains of an unborn child resulting from an abortion or miscarriage. This legislation resulted from the viral Planned Parenthood videos that surfaced this summer. Governor McCrory signed H297 into law on October 1, 2015.

H647, Epi Pens in All Child-Serving Businesses: Authorizes health care providers to prescribe, and pharmacists to dispense, epinephrine auto-injectors to authorized child-serving entities such as colleges, day-care facilities, and restaurants. As of October 2, H647 is pending on the Governor’s desk.

H698, Baby Carlie Nugent Bill: Requires the Commission for Public Health to adopt rules to add a screening test for severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) and other T-Cell lymphopenias detectable as a result of SCID to the Newborn Screening Program. The bill is named after Carlie Nugent of Harrisburg, who died in 2000 at seven-months-old from complications of SCID due to it not being diagnosed until after she was six-months-old. As of October 2, H698 is pending on the Governor’s desk.

S676, Autism Health Insurance Coverage: Requires health benefit plans to provide coverage for the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder. After months of negotiation, the state’s largest insurer, Blue Cross Blue Shield, agreed to the legislation. As of October 2, S676 is pending on the Governor’s desk.

S694, Reegan’s Rule/Enforce Pharm. Ben. Mgt.: The first part of this legislation encourages health care providers to educate parents about Type I diabetes at well-child visits from birth to five-years-old . The second part of S694 amends the law pertaining to pharmacy benefit managers to create a per day per drug penalty if a pharmacy benefits manager is found in violation of the law. As of October 2, S694 is pending on the Governor’s desk.

S698, Legacy Medical Care Facility/CON Exempt.: Creates certain exemptions under the Certificate of Need (CON) law for legacy medical care facilities. The bill defines a legacy medical care facility as a health care facility that is not currently in operation and has not been in operation for at least six months, but has been licensed and providing inpatient services within the past two years. This bill is aimed to help re-open recently closed hospitals in NC, such as hospitals in Yadkinville and in Belhaven. Additionally, S698 will repeal the certificate of public advantage (COPA) laws, effective January 1, 2018. As of October 2, S698 is pending on the Governor’s desk.

During session the Governor has ten days to sign or veto legislation. After the General Assembly officially adjourns for the year, the Governor has 30 days to sign or veto legislation. If the Governor vetoes any legislation currently pending on his desk post-adjournment, then he must call the legislature in for a special session to reconsider the rejected bill for a veto override.

The legislature will reconvene in 2016 on Monday, April 25 at 7:00 p.m. During the interim, the Speaker of the House and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate will appoint oversight and study committees. These interim committees will study topics that may be considered during the 2016 legislative session.

 

PA Seat Open on NC Medical Board

Qualified PAs are encouraged to apply for the newly created PA seat on the NC Medical Board.  As a result of the passage of HB724 in August, there are now designated seats for a PA and an NP on the Medical Board.  Due to this, the Governor asked the Medical Board Review Panel to reopen the application period for candidates for these seats.  Applications are due by December 22, 2015.  The Review Panel will interview candidates on January 30, 2016.  For more information about qualifications and how to apply, click here.

 

Service on the NC Medical Board: Reflections of a PA

by Wayne VonSeggen and NCAPA

Wayne W. VonSeggen, PA-C, served two terms on the NC Medical Board, from November 1, 1994 to October 31, 2000.  He was the first PA to serve on the Medical Board and became President of the Medical Board.  In this interview with NCAPA, VonSeggen describes the work during his tenure and offers some advice for other PAs considering service on the Board.

NCAPA:  What kind of issues came before the Medical Board during your terms?

VonSeggen:  Much improved revisions of the PA regulations which changed from registration of PAs to actual licensing of PAs; coordinated many changes to synchronize CME requirements to NCCPA standards; added Volunteer License; improved disciplinary actions to become more similar to physician methods; improved dialogue with Medical School Deans and PA Program Directors; and, created a PA Advisory Council to advise NCMB on multiple issues. Having a PA actually on the NCMB for the first time served as a stimulus for creating regulations which included PAs when appropriate, and boosted the professional presence of the physician assistant in the NC medical regulatory community, NC Medical Society, and with Pharmacy, Nursing, and EMS. In the closing weeks of my term as president of the NCMB, the NCMB held hearings and worked to negotiate a scope of practice struggle between ophthalmologists and optometrists.

NCAPA:  How much time do you think you spent preparing before each Board meeting?

VonSeggen:  It depends on where you are during your term of office, and whether you are a member of a committee or a chairperson of a standing committee of the Board, or an officer of the Board. For example, being Chair of the Investigative Committee, or being the President would entail much additional preparation and discussion before Board meetings than being one of many members of a committee. During the revision of the PA regulations, the time involvement was significant in discussions with NCAPA leaders, board staff, reviewing AAPA model regulatory formats, and considering the best ideas of other state regulatory boards. For an average Board meeting, the preparation time was probably in the range of 15-25 hours.

NCAPA:  What kinds of qualities and/or knowledge do you think are important to be a successful Board member?

VonSeggen:  Most important is to actually KNOW the laws, regs, and rules for each of the health professionals that you regulate. Familiarity with the “regs” then allows you to be able to focus on general ethical principles while reviewing lots of information on each case that comes before you. It helps if you happen to be obsessive compulsive. Being a responsible listener to licensees during interviews and hearings, and being able to communicate and understand principles contributed by other Board members and Board staff will help to build your regulatory vocabulary and interpersonal confidence. I believe that having a sense of humor is a valuable asset.

NCAPA:  What was the most rewarding aspect of serving on the Medical Board?

VonSeggen: There were several:

1) Interactions with Board members and Board staff which showed steady growth of acceptance of the physician assistants in this state as an important member of the medical team.  It was my honor to have been elected by my fellow Medical Board members to serve as Vice President and finally as President of the North Carolina Medical Board. For the physician assistant profession, that represented the first time a physician assistant served as President of an allopathic state medical regulatory board in the United States.

2) After the revised PA regulations were completed, there were multiple national reviewers who complimented the NCMB and North Carolina as having the best regulatory climate for PAs in the USA. It was a real accomplishment nurtured by a large team of dedicated people.

3) Serving on the Board provided friendships and fruitful relationships as we saw how the Board protected the people of NC by its work in regulating medical practice. It was not uncommon to have licensees who faced appropriate discipline, rebuilt their professional stamina, and reentered medical practice. Later, some would come back to the Board and thank the Board for its fairness and faithful administration of the rules and regs to save their career and even their lives. It was an awesome responsibility to be a member of the Board to help administer mercy and justice within the medical profession. I learned a new appreciation for our NC Physicians Health Program and its important work.

NCAPA:  What advice would you give to a PA considering applying for the PA seat on the Medical Board?

VonSeggen:  If you are still practicing medicine, obtain an agreement of flexibility and cooperation with your practice and supervising physician/s to allow you to participate fully in the work of the Board. Your efficiency will improve with time, but your responsibilities in the Board operation and leadership will likely increase as you continue to serve.  Realize that the staff of the NCMB are full-time, seasoned, and experienced resources who can help you learn and guide you to success. They can actually help you ENJOY your time on the NC Medical Board, because they are “that good.”  You are applying for a position specifically created by legislation to assure that your profession is continuously represented on the NCMB in the future. Lots of pioneers took some arrows, but some of us survived! Keep on carrying the torch and do your very best to serve your fellow PAs, and all the people of North Carolina.

After graduation from the Physician Assistant Program at Bowman Gray School of Medicine in 1977, Wayne VonSeggen worked for thirty-five years as a PA practicing in North Carolina outpatient primary care settings, working in occupational medicine, family/occupational medicine, internal medicine, and employee health/occupational medicine.  He retired from active practice in June of 2013.  Prior to retirement, he spent 17 years at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, Employee/Occupational Health Department in Winston-Salem.  VonSeggen served in many professional volunteer capacities during his career, including as President of NCAPA in 1984, and has received many honors and awards.

 

NCAPA Election Results

The NCAPA election for Officers, Board Members, and the Nominating Committee concluded on October 1, 2015.  Thank you to all of the candidates and to all who participated by voting!  The following candidates were elected to terms that begin on January 1, 2016.  To read a bit about each new Board member and the new member of the Nominating Committee, click here.

President-Elect: Truett Smith

Treasurer: Paul Hendrix

Directors-at-Large: Chris Barry, Ashlyn Bruning, and Rick Ulstad

Nominating Committee Member-at-Large: Rick Edwards

NCAPA 2016 Board of Directors meeting dates will be:

• January 23rd at Stead Center, Durham
• April 23rd at Stead Center, Durham
• August 20th at Kingston Plantation, Myrtle Beach, NC
• November 5th at Stead Center, Durham

 

Registration is Open!  30th Annual NCAPA Recertification Exam Review Conference

Sheraton Imperial Hotel & Convention Center
February 20-23, 2016
Durham, NC

NEW for 2016! The conference begins on a Saturday this year and runs through Tuesday afternoon.  That means less time away from the office and more time to study for the PANRE!

Join us for the 30th Annual NCAPA Recertification Exam Review Conference.  The conference agenda is based on the NCCPA PANRE exam blueprint and will be focused on a review of all organ systems.  NCAPA plans to request 30 hours of AAPA Category 1 CME credit for the general sessions and 22 hours in workshops from the PA Review Panel.  The total number of credit hours is yet to be determined. The full agenda with speakers will be announced in December 2015.

CME will be awarded to PAs, NPs, and Athletic Trainers.  Whether or not you need to take the PANRE, this conference is an excellent review for any health care provider.

Register Now!

The Sheraton Imperial Hotel and Convention Center has reserved a block of rooms for NCAPA conference attendees.  Conference rates are available for all reservations booked for the conference before January 22, 2016, or while availability lasts. For hotel reservations, click here or call (919) 941-5050.

 

PA of the Year: Gloria Jordan, PA-C

Gloria Jordan, PA-C, was the recipient of the 2015 PA of the Year award from the North Carolina Academy of Physicians Assistants! The award honors a PA who has demonstrated exemplary service to the PA profession and the community, and who has furthered the image of the PA profession while providing significant contributions to the health of the citizens of North Carolina.

Ms. Jordan has dedicated her skills as a PA not only through her job, but also through her community and church.  She volunteers on the Hispanic Dental and Health bus, providing medical services to under-served areas, and has been a leader on a medical mission trip to Haiti. In 2007, Ms. Jordan was inducted into theDuke PA Alumni Hall of Fame. She is currently employed at ABC Pediatrics and has been a preceptor for 10 years to dozens of students, one stating that “she was a huge advocate for the PA profession . . . showing her love for the profession through the caring of her patients.”

The PA of the Year award was presented to Ms. Jordan during the Annual Member Meeting at the NCAPA Summer Conference on Monday, August 17^th.

 

The American Dream

by Bowie Tran, PA-C

In the spirit of celebrating National PA week (Oct 6-12), I would like to share the story of my pursuit of the American Dream.

I was born in Dalat, Vietnam. After the Vietnam War, many citizens left the country to seek a better life. My dad and I attempted to seek refuge in the U.S. when I was five years old. We left behind my mom who gave birth to my younger brother at that time. We had to leave in secrecy without letting anyone know. We paid a large sum of money to ride on a smuggling fishing boat, with the plan to cross the Pacific Ocean. I remembered traveling several days from our hometown in boats, buses, and bikes in order to reach our boat. A series of unfortunate events occurred shortly after the boat set sail. Huge ceramic containers that contained our supply collided within the first day and destroyed our precious water supply. Shortly after, there were mechanical failures that delayed our journey. Several people on the boat decided to swim back to shore, but my dad did not know how to swim and I was too young to try. Our fishing boat sailed aimlessly and we were without food and water for several days. Looking back, I remember the irony of being on the brink of death from starvation and dehydration while being surrounded by a sea of water. I remember hallucinating, seeing a vision of the Buddhist Bodhisattva Guan Yin and being reunited with my mom and brother.

After being stranded for 3-5 days, our boat was spotted by the Vietnamese border patrol. We were captured and subsequently thrown into prison for trying to escape Vietnam. My experience of Vietnamese prison is different from what we typically imagine of prison on TV. Criminals of all backgrounds were housed in the same large room. We shared the same space with thieves, murderers, and many other captured migrants. It was a month before my mom received the news that we were in prison. I can only imagine the stress that she went through not knowing the fate of her husband and son for such a long duration, considering many refugees died at sea either due to sickness, capsized ships, or murder at the hands of pirates. Fortunately, my experience of being in prison was not traumatic. Since I was a young kid, I was fortunate to have the love and care from other prisoners who gave me extra food. However, I recalled each day lasted for eternity because there was nothing to do. After six months in prison, I was released while my dad had to stay for a few extra months.

Fast forward to age eleven, my aunt who lived in America successfully sponsored our family to come to America. The process of legal immigration took 11 years to get approved. It was tough leaving behind everything I knew, including all of my friends, to immigrate to the U.S. Fortunately, we quickly adapted to our new life, making new friends and settling in Winston Salem, NC. I went through grade school in Winston-Salem and eventually was accepted to the Wake Forest PA program. I am now employed by Wake Forest Baptist, working as a Physician Assistant in the Emergency Department. I consider myself to be lucky and blessed – blessed to live in perhaps the best country in the world and lucky to have a highly desirable career as a PA, caring for patients in need. As an immigrant, it is especially satisfying to know that hard work can yield great rewards. As I follow my “American Dream” and establish myself as a role model in the community, I look forward to furthering my educational goal. I look back and appreciate the life experience that has brought me to where I am today. In celebration of National PA Week, I want to encourage each of us to be thankful for who we are and our PA profession. Let’s make the most of our American Dreams.

 

PAs: We Have Arrived

by Charlene Morris, PA-C

PAs are 50 years old this month, and we are still fighting old battles of recognition (yes, we take blood pressures AND practice medicine), regulation (PAs do not require independent practice,) and redundant comments (no I am not studying to be a doctor).

The first weekend of October, I was flying to Miami to participate and speak at the National Irritable Bowel Disease advisory board. Although simply one facet of practice, for this Family Medicine PA, IBS is an area when recognized and treated, patients are very grateful.

Sitting next to an elderly gentleman on the plane, we chatted briefly early on and then he napped as I read newspapers. I looked over and witnessed tonic-clonic activity, tongue protruding and then, he was still. I asked my seatmate to call the flight attendant and attempted to rouse the man. His skin became ice cold and then drenched in sweat. He quit breathing for an eternity of ~10 seconds and his pulse, although detectable, was very weak.

 

Stop the Bleed

NCAPA Board Member Frank Caruso, PA-C attended an event at the White House on PA Day, Tuesday, October 6th.  The event included a celebration of actions by federal and private sector partners to create meaningful and lasting impact in support of the bystanders as immediate responders in stopping life threatening bleeding. This program is being sponsored by the National Security Council. Frank reported that “our national preparedness is the shared responsibility of all levels of government,the private and non-profit sectors, and individual citizens. The goal of this initiative is to build national resilience by empowering the general public to take action to stop life threatening bleeding.”

Bleeding was chosen as the focus of this bystander initiative because:

• it results from natural and manmade disaster and everyday emergencies;
• if severe enough and uncontrolled it can result in death within minutes before emergency medical services or other emergency responders can arrive;
• it is an opportunity to bring knowledge from military medicine into the hands of the general public, and
• simple actions can save lives.

This initiative will support the following objectives:

1. The general public will know the phrase and associated logo: “Stop the Bleed.”
2. The general public will have access to effective personal bleeding control kits.
3. The general public will have access to effective public bleeding control kits.
4. Every bleeding control kit will provide “just in time” audio and visual training.

 

PA Highlight: Dave Henderson, PA-C

by Charlene Morris, PA-C

Dave Henderson, PA-C, works in Family Medicine, where he is revered by colleagues and patients alike. He began ENPAC, Eastern NC NPs and PAs, almost a decade ago and continues to serve as President to almost 100 PAs and NPs. He has been at Crystal Coast Family Practice in Morehead City for 16 years, where he is an integral part of the medical community.

Dave Henderson has worked both in hospital based and patient centered family practice. His special talents include endocrinology, orthopedics, dermatology, office procedures and surgery. He has reached out and collaborated with local compounding pharmacists for specific patient requests, such as hormone therapy and care, and has impressed me with his constant and in depth knowledge of current practices.

He also organized and participates in providing annual free sports physicals to schools and has been a powerful spokesperson for those running for office or positions, be they political, social or community. Dave has set up health fairs for community events, where people can get blood pressure and glucose checks and set up a walk-a-thon for Breast Cancer.

We in Eastern NC depend upon Dave and his lovely wife Sabrina, who is also a PA, to keep us cohesive and informed of what we need to know, whether it is a meeting, job or community outreach opportunities or to promulgate pertinent political and legislative information.

 

NCAPA Regional Chapter Updates

Don’t forget- The Piedmont Association of Physician Assistants will be hosting its 2015 Fall Seminar on Saturday, October 17th.

Also, NCAPA is hosting a networking event on the evening of Friday, October 16th at Noble’s Grille in Winston Salem.  You do not have to be a registrant at the conference to attend the social networking event. Come out for food and drink and meet with fellow PAs and PA students!

 

PA Voices Heard Regarding PANRE

by Charlene Morris, PA-C

In 2017 and at 64 years of age, will I take my 6th PANRE? I am distinctly undecided.

Last month, NCCPA invited 28 PAs to gather for three days at NCCPA headquarters in John’s Creek Georgia to review current PANCE and PANRE testing requirements and to explore new options.  Chosen as one of the participants, I am in my 36th year of practice; two others, including a Kentucky friend and colleague, exceeded that. Still, we had PAs who have less time in the profession, but with extensive and varied experience and expertise.

What seemed to be a common trend is that most PAs eschew the recertification exam, despite the option to take it a year early, the perceived safety net of a “3 tries” rule, and the newly established Performance Improvement (PI) and Self-Assessment (SA) requirements. Several PAs felt this was simply a revenue builder and did not translate to high quality patient care or necessity.

Due to the new ten-year cycle, it was pointed out that a newly graduating PA will take the PANCE and would potentially be responsible for only three more examinations throughout their career, where as many of us have already taken the PANRE five or six times. Each exam is worth approximately $1000, when calculating the preparation, travel, time off work, and dare I say, frustration and fear of failure.  So perception vs. reality of competency, cost, and burden of testing were common topics of discussion.

So where are we going as a profession? Time will tell. Still, I marveled at the interest and engagement of the invited PAs as well as the active listening to all who participated. I was also delighted to meet Dawn Morton-Rias, Ed.D., PA-C , NCCPA’s first ever PA President and CEO.

 

2015 NCAPA Endowment Student Scholarship Winners

Congratulations to all the recipients of the 2015 NCAPA Endowment Student Grants!  They are:

• Robert Barwick, ECU
• Maura Carter, Campbell
• Caitlin Blazek Heredia, Gardner-Webb
• Nicole Oakley, Methodist
• Abigail Pettigrew, Duke
• Christina Spinaris, Wingate
• Leisa Tapia, Elon
• Jana Villanueva, Wake Forest

Best of luck to you in the remainder of your clinical year.  We are very grateful for your dedication to the PA profession!

 

NCAPA Endowment Scholarship Thank You

PA-S Kenna Holtzclaw was one of the 2014 recipients of the NCAPA Endowment Student Grants from Wingate University. Jim Hill, PA-C, MEd, and Director of APPs at EMP of Mecklenburg and Iredell, presented the check to her. Afterwards, Kenna wrote a note of thanks, demonstrating the impact these scholarships can have on PA students across the state:

Being awarded the NCAPA Scholarship was such an honor!  I really appreciate that the NCAPA is willing to support PA students financially throughout their PA school careers.  It meant a lot to me to be selected as the winner from Wingate University!  This scholarship allows me to worry less about my financial outlook once I graduate from PA school and I am very thankful for that!

I have always had an interest in pediatric medicine and my passion for kids began at a young age.  I had AML when I was ten years old and I was treated in the Charlotte area.  I have worked with a camp for children with cancer, Camp CARE, for many summers since then.  One of my electives will be spent with the PA who treated me, in Pediatric Hematology and Oncology!  I am very excited for this opportunity to explore an area of medicine that I grew to know so well as a patient.  I am also interested in doing a Pediatric Emergency Medicine elective rotation.  I feel that I can communicate effectively with adults and children and I would like to be able to use my experiences as a child and integrate them into my practice of medicine.  At this time I feel my calling lies within pediatric medicine, but I still have seven more rotations and I am very excited about each one of these upcoming experiences.

Thank you for supporting me in my PA education!

Kenna Holtzclaw

 

Health Campaign Seeks To Motivate, Help NC Smokers To Quit

from WUNC

Nicotine is about as addictive as heroin. It is also about as hard to kick, according to Dr. James Davis of the Duke Center for Smoking Cessation.

His organization is participating in the Race To Quit, NC campaign this week to raise awareness about the dangers of smoking, and to point smokers to resources.

Davis says motivation is a huge predictor of whether someone will successfully quit smoking. He says a life changing realization often plays a part.

“Approximately half of smokers are going to die from a smoking-related illness. In the past, it became obvious that smoking was leading to lung cancer and emphysema,” Davis says. “But now we see that it’s associated with heart attacks, with strokes, with diabetes, with 14 different kinds of cancer.”  Read the full story here.

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Welcome Members!

Welcome to our renewing and our brand new members!  The following members have joined or renewed their membership since our last issue. Thank you all for your support of NCAPA and all PAs in North Carolina!

Justin Adams, Parkton
Laura Alison, Matthews
Bethany Applebome, Cullowhee
Jeffrey Brown, Macon, GA
Pamela Burleson, Bullock
Stephanie Cameron, Farmville
Rachel Denbow, Charlotte
Karen Donald, Charlotte
Maghen Eakle, Apex
Robert Grove, Wilmington
Regina Gurley, Princeton
Alyssa Herron, Whispering Pines
Shelly Horn, Garner
Robin Hughes, Archdale
Daniel Jacobs, Charlotte
Andrew Jones, Charlotte
Vincent Keeney, Rocky Mount
Judith Maguire, Southport
Amber Murtaugh, Charlotte
Miguel Pineiro, Cary
Jheri Rea, Asheville
June Smith-Hartness, Mooresville
Patrik Stridh, Winston Salem
Colleen Sullivan, Charlotte
Jennifer Taylor, Fayetteville
Joseph Williams, Rocky Mount
Eric Wright, Rose Hill
Pangnhia Yang, Hickory