Physician Assistant Program - Department of Health Sciences

Newsletter of Events
Spring/Summer 2013
PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT
PROGRAM
White Coats on call.
T
Dinara Yambulatova, Shay Fedewa, Stephanie Shipko, Courtney Capstack, Jessica
Liskey, Elizabeth Argenbright, Rebecca Strunk, and Erin Caffrey with Delegate Tony Wilt.
his year the Virginia Association of Physician Assistants (VAPA)
teamed up with the Medical Society of Virginia (MSV) to increase the
presence of medical professionals in the 2013 General Assembly. Eight
members of the JMU PA Class of 2014 traveled to Richmond donning
their white coats in order to lobby for legislation to benefit the Physician
Assistant profession in the state of Virginia. Amongst the topics brought to
light during the initial morning meeting with MSV, the
students chose to lobby for the inclusion of medical records as evidence in malpractice cases and amending
the process of treating and filing for workman’s compensation patients. Even during the busy legislation
period, the students obtained face-to-face meetings
with local representatives Senator Emmett Hanger and
Delegate Tony Wilt to present issues affecting Physician
Assistants. Other organizations participating in White
Coats on Call with JMU in January included Shenandoah University’s PA Program along with Virginia Opthalmologists and Radiologists. Check out (http://www.msv.
org/MainMenuCategories/Advocacy/WCOC/2014-WhiteCoats-on-Call-Dates.aspx) to see 2014 lobbying dates.
Shay Fedewa presents to local Delegate Tony Wilt.
JMU PA students pose with local Senator Emmett Hanger after
discussing legislative Issues for the Physician Assistant profession.
Hitting the
for Autism Awareness
O n t h e m or ni ng of A pril 6th , five JMU Cla s s o f 2 0 1 4 PA s t u d e n t s
l a c e d u p thei r shoes to p a rta ke in the 5 K Wa lk / Ru n f o r A u t is m a t
Ea s t e rn M ennoni te University to benefit t h e S h e n a n d o a h Va lle y
Au t i s m Par tner shi p. W ith o ver 1,0 0 0 ra c e p a rt ic ip a n t s , Ha n n a h
Br ic k s e , Cour tney Capstack, K riste n Jobe s , S t e p h a n ie S h ip k o ,
a n d R e becca Str un k put their best fo o t f o rwa rd a s me mb e rs o f
t e a m “H ur d’s Her d” a n d all fin ish e d with in t h e t o p t h ird o f o v e ra ll
r a ce rs . Clocki ng a time o f 2 1 :48, Ha n n a h B ric k s e f in is h e d 1 8 t h
a n d w a s the over all fema le win n e r o f the 5 K .
O f t h e e x p e rie n c e , B ric k s e (a b o v e r i g h t n e x t
t o t h e m ale over all 5k win n e r) comment s , “I t wa s a we s o me t o s e e s o ma n y p e o p l e f r o m t h e
c o mm u nity, i ncluding JMU, E MU, and fam ilie s a ff e c t e d b y a u t is m, a n d t h o s e s u c h a s m y s e l f w h o
h a v e n ot been affe cted by autism, co me t o g e t h e r f o r a n a ma z in g c a u s e . I wa s s o h a p p y t o h a v e
s u p p o rt fr om cl assmate s when I thre w the id e a o u t a b o u t ma k in g a t e a m f o r t h e 5 K . E v e n t h o u g h
w e a re super busy with cla sse s and life in g e n e ra l, d o in g s o me t h in g lik e t h is re a lly f u lf i l l s a d e s i r e
t o h e l p other s in nee d .” Th e S h e n a n d o a h Va lle y A u t is m P a rt n e rs h ip s e rv e s t h is a re a t o p r o v i d e
s u p p o rt and netw orking for fa milie s a long wit h a wa re n e s s , t ra in in g , a n d e d u c a t io n f o r p r o f e s s i o n a l s r egar di ng A u tism S p e ctrum Disor d e r. F o r mo re in f o rma t io n , v is it h t t p : / / v a lle y a u t i s m . o r g
WAY
TO GO
JMU
PA
LADIES!
Kristen Jobes,
Hannah Brickse,
Stephanie Shipko, Courtney
Capstack, and
Rebecca Strunk
celebrate with
Duke Dog after
finishing the 5K.
It was a battle, but we were
the last ones afloat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Also on April 6th, eight PA students hopped aboard the chance to take part in the University Recreation
(UREC) second annual Battleship Tournament. This one-day event taking place in the UREC
indoor pool consisted of over 20 teams of four individuals who combated in canoes using buckets
to try to sink other ships with water while keeping themselves afloat by shielding incoming attempts
from other teams. JMU PA entered two teams in the tournament, Matty V’s Killer Bees and Becca’s
Shipwreckas, who competed in multiple 15 minute battles over the course of two hours. In the end,
Becca’s Shipwreckas consisting of members Courtney Capstack, Kristen Jobes, Rebecca Strunk, and
Leigh Warsing placed 2nd in the top bracket of the tournament. Matty V’s Killer Bees with teammates
Hannah Brickse, Erin Caffrey, Lizzie Goldbach, and Matt Vennell finished first in the lower bracket
coming in first place in all but one of their battles on the road to the title. Congratulations
to the JMU PA program on their 2nd university recreation title of the 2012-2013 school year!
TOP: Matty V’s Killer Bees:
2013 Battleship Recruits Cup
Tournament Champs! Teammates Lizzie Goldbach, Matt
Vennell, Hannah Brickse,
and Erin Caffrey.
FAR LEFT: Becca’s Shipwreckas get ready for
action. From left to right:
Rebecca Strunk, Courtney
Capstack, Kristen Jobes,
and Leigh Warsing.
Supporting Better Local Health,
One Swing at a Time
On Sunday, April 14th, PASS hosted its second golf tournament
of the school year which benefited the Harrisonburg Rockingham
Free clinic. The Free Clinic, located in Downtown Harrisonburg,
provides medical services to uninsured residents in the area by
incorporating a multitude of health care professionals to promote
improved overall wellbeing. Fundraising chairs Marie Veldhuyzen
and Nick Calabrese put together the event hosted at Lakeview
Golf Course which included 6 teams. Multiple members of the PA
Class of 2014 helped carry out this event from obtaining sponsors
and prizes to handling registration, and providing food and drinks
for lunch following the tournament. The four person team of Matthew Chumney, Sam Irby, Cory Lail, and Billy Nagy took the top
prize in the tournament followed closely by Marie Veldhyzen’s
team with Tim Taylor and H.O. Hoffman. Tournament participants
associated with the JMU PA Program included pathophysiology
professor Dr. Justin Brown, current students Marie Veldhuyzen,
Nick Calabrese, D.J. Hoskins, and Matt Vennell, and alumni Greg
Bee, Kirt Johnson, Dan Roland, and Joshua Sung. We extend a
special THANK YOU to Lakeview Golf Course, our participants,
sponsors, donators, and volunteers who facilitated the opportunity to pull off this tournament and allow for our generous donation
to the Harrisonburg Rockingham Free Clinic! To find out more
about the Free Clinic, what they do, and how you can help, visit
them online http://www.hrfreeclinic.org
Spring Hole Sponsors:
Professor Dr. Justin Brown demonstrates his skill as
he tees off on the Spring Course. His team with Dan
Brown, Adam Purcell, and Terry Simmons took 3rd.
Sam Irby aims for the greens as teammate Cory Lail
watches. Their team finished first in the tournament.
JMU Department of Health & Human Services
RapidTax.com
Piedmont Paint and Finish
Lifetimejeweler.com
Erica Lassen Photography
Dr. Ronald Capstack
Harrisonburg Honda
Donations:
Lakeview Golf Club
Meadowcreek Golf Course
Erica Lassen Photography
Waynesboro Country Club
Massanutten Resort
Heritage Golf Course
Shenvalee Golf Resort
JMU PA’s Nick Calabrese cheers
after he hits a long putt for his
team consisting of classmates D.J.
Hoskins & Matt Vennell along with
D.J.’s father, Don Hoskins.
JMU Students Take to Washington for
AAPA Conference
Memorial Day weekend the Class of 2014
sent two students to the annual AAPA conference in Washington DC: Assembly of Representatives member Chad Hurd and House
of Delegates member Nick Calabrese. Chad and Nick took the
time to reflect on their experience at conference and how it
influenced them for their future profession.
Chad Hurd:
The annual AAPA conference provides many opportunities for
physician assistants to communicate, branch out, make connections and earn continuing medical educational credits. As Assembly of Representative (AOR), I had the privilege of attending the
2013 conference. Better known as ‘PA’s Take Washington!’ A member of the House of Delegates (HOD), Nick, and I located the large
HOD member Nick Calabrese and AOR member
conference center in the busy city of D.C. The first day was just regChad Hurd take on Washington with 6,000 PAs
from across the country.
istering for the conference. The second day included many classes.
The classes were approximately 40 minutes long. Each covering a different subject, Navigating the Gluten-Free
Boom, Treatment of Acute Burns, from ER to Surgery (one of my favorites!), Adolescent Medicine Sports Injury Cases
(another great one!), Improving Diabetes Outcomes: Placing the Patient at the Center and Anemia 101: Too Low, No
Go. Just to name a few.
During such classes all of the AORs met in an upper room to discuss and vote for AAPA topics. The specific matters
can and will affect many schools and PAs, so voting was of great value. A couple of the subjects were ‘sex trafficking’
and ‘reducing the number required to participate in the PA challenge bowl.’ The reason for the sex trafficking, a number of physician assistants in the emergency settings have encountered victims of such horrors. They then wanted
to better prepare their students.
The voting took place as such the president of the student council would present the topic and ask the author to
describe it. Afterwards, the presidency then opens the floor to anyone wanting to challenge the topic. One subject
was challenged, a student wanted to change the number necessary for the PA bowl to 50% instead of 70%. After
presenting it, another student stood and ask it to be 60% instead. We then had to vote for the 60% and because it
was denied, we then voted for the 50%, which was turned down as well.
Something interesting occurred during the session. First off, before we were asked to vote anybody had the opportunity to voice his or her opinion regarding said subject. During this oral session, an individual got up to the third mic and
asked to rush the vote. I don’t remember what this is called, but it prevents any further discussion pushing everyone
to vote. The conference continued into the next week, lasting about 6 days long. Thousands of Physician Assistants
across nationwide visited as well as multiple advertisers with free handouts. This weekend was exciting by giving me
a better understanding of the utilization of PAs in the medical field.
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Nick Calabrese:
The AAPA conference was a great educational experience. We attended lectures on many topics including
diabetes, Celiac disease, CBCs, fractures in children, and many more. One interesting fact that I learned during one of the lectures is that a gluten-free diet is not healthy for those who do not have Celiac disease. As
the House of Delegates representative, I attended one of the HOD meetings, but unfortunately I was not able
to hear any debates on legislation due to a delegate’s retirement speech. Overall, I learned that PAs are progressively getting more autonomy which is very exciting. After attending the conference, I am looking forward
to making a difference on a daily basis by diagnosing and treating acute and chronic medical conditions.
Encouraging
Well-Rounded
Health and Wellness.
I
n collaboration with JMU’s Occupational Therapy
department, the PA program joined in on an evening of
fun and education at Stone Spring Elementary School
in Harrisonburg. As a part of a project planned and
executed by second year OT students, the health and
wellness fair included 15 booths promoting health
from a number of different aspects such as nutrition,
dental health, and disease prevention. The JMU PA
program provided eye and ear models to show the kids
D.J. Hoskins, Shay Fedewa, Erin Caffrey, Nick Calabrese, and
Elizbeth Argenbright preside over the JMU PA Booth at the Stone Spring Fair.
what types of structures are inspected during those
examinations and gave them the opportunity to explore
the use of tools they typically encounter in a clinic
including sphygmomanometers, oto-ophthalmoscopes,
stethoscopes, and reflex hammers. PA students also
handed out coloring workbooks introducing the kids and
their parents to the physician assistant profession as well
as educated them on the difference between physicians,
physician assistants, and nurse practitioners. Thanks to
JMU Occupational Therapy for putting together a great
event to better the health of our community!
Hannah Brickse helps a Stone Spring student perform an ear examination on
a brave Elizabeth Argenbright.
Sending Jim off into the Wonderful
World of Retirement
As mentioned in the Fall 2012 newsletter, original JMU PA Program Director Jim Hammond officially ventured into
retirement as of July 2013. In order to give a proper send-off, fellow faculty members Pamela Bailey and Sharon
Maiewski planned a thoughtful and fun retirement party for Jim at Hess Farm in Harrisonburg on June 1st. Former
and current students, co-workers, and their families attended Jim’s party to pay tribute to him and his contribution to
the JMU PA program. Guests took pleasure in a variety of activities ranging from constructing scrapbook notes and
riding on a carousel to simply bringing each other up to speed on their lives.
Reflecting on this time of his life, Jim has the following to say:
What are you looking forward to the most during your retirement?
The opportunity to spend more time with family, traveling to places in the
U.S. and Canada that we have been wanting to visit, catching up on some
hobbies especially outdoor and wildlife photography and some woodworking, and time to do more reading for pleasure. I also will spend some time
contributing to some work of the national PA organizations.
How have you enjoyed retirement thus far?
Retirement began with a 3 week trip in which we spent a week in Yellowstone
National Park where we were joined by our 3 sons, daughter-in-law, and two
grandsons. It was a great trip. On the way back we took our grandsons to
some sites in the Black Hills and Badland of South Dakota. Since returning,
we have done a few day trips including one to Jamestown. I am gradually
establishing a different routine including working out 3 days a week.
What are your favorite memories of the JMU PA Program and your career?
There are many, however, what I enjoyed the most was working with students and faculty. I am pleased to have had a small part in helping a few
hundred students graduate and go on to serve thousands of patients during
their careers. I have always enjoyed feedback from graduates. It is heartening to learn of the many great things they are doing.
Lastly, he sends us off with his own words of wisdom:
“During each stage of your personal, family and career life, find aspects
to enjoy. Challenge yourself to continually improve in your career. Think
ahead of the experiences you hope to have, then watch for windows in time
during your life to have those experiences.”
HAPPY
RETIREMENT
JIM!
DON’T BE A STRANGER!
The Beginning of a New Chapter
for the JMU PA Program
Following the retirement of founding Program Director Jim Hammond, JMU PA
alumnus Jerry Weniger quickly took hold of the reigns to continue the success of the
PA program. Jerry began his new position by attending a PAEA Program Director’s
Retreat in Potomac, MD and an ARC-PA Accreditation Workshop in St. Louis, MO
along with a multitude of faculty meetings and shaping his agendas for the courses
he will teach this fall, Clinical Medicine III and Introduction to the PA Profession.
We’re very grateful he could take the time in his busy schedule to give us a chance
to get to know him better and introduce him to the JMU PA community!
Tell us about yourself.
My clinical background is in Orthopedic Surgery and Emergency Medicine. I worked for 2-years in Sports Medicine/
Orthopedic Surgery at the UVA Medical Center. I had clinical and surgical responsibilities and was also involved in
research. For the past 3-years, I’ve worked in the Emergency Department at Rockingham Memorial Hospital here
in Harrisonburg. I will continue to moonlight there on an as needed basis. I’m also involved with two committees at
RMH, the Advanced Practice Clinician Advisory Council and the Concussion Advisory Council. As far as hobbies and
interests, I enjoy running, playing drums and guitar, going to concerts, and watching college football.
How do you feel about returning to work at JMU?
Well I’ve worked part-time at JMU before, both in the Athletics Department and in the Biology Department. To be in
this Program Director’s role though is very exciting. The PA program has a great reputation and I’m honored to be a
part of it. JMU is a great place to work.
What are your goals for the JMU PA program?
My overall goal for the program is to ensure that we’re using our resources and our faculty’s knowledge and skills
to the best of our ability. I want the program to have a strong national reputation and for us to be able to attract
the brightest and best PA students. More specific goals are something I’m currently working on developing with the
rest of the faculty.
What are your professional areas of interest?
I love Orthopedics and Emergency Medicine mostly because I love procedures. I like to use my hands and develop
new skills. Therefore I’m excited that I’ll be able to teach Clinical Medicine III each Fall because it involves many of these
topics. Research wise, I’m interested in platelet rich plasma therapy, musculoskeletal ultrasound, & PA education.
What is your favorite restaurant & your favorite thing to do in Harrisonburg?
It’s impossible to pick just one! My kids love the quesadillas at Qdoba so I enjoy taking them there. For the occasional nicer meal, I enjoy Beyond and Local Chop & Grill House. But I would have to say that my all-time favorite
place to eat is Chick-Fil-A!
I enjoy attending JMU athletic events and going to the downtown Farmer’s Market with my family. I also enjoy
church events at Covenant Presbyterian and taking my kids to the Discovery Museum.
What advice would you give new PA students and graduates?
I would advise new students to employ good study habits from the start and to not procrastinate with assignments.
The program can be quite enjoyable but with the pace and amount of information, it is a bad idea to fall behind with
your work. As far as graduates go, I would advise them to be not only strong advocates for our profession but also
for JMU and our program. We are always looking for alumni interested in coming back to JMU to do a lecture in
their specialty or to be preceptors for us.
Matthew Lassen Becomes the First JMU PA
Student Named a Paul Ambrose Scholar
Matt (top row, far right) with some of his fellow Paul Ambrose Scholars following the
completion of their workshop in D.C this summer.
In April, JMU PA Class of 2014 student Matthew Lassen was informed of his acceptance as a prestigious Paul Ambrose Scholar and continued his journey to making
his public health program dream a reality. Awarded by the Association for Prevention
Teaching and Research, over 500 scholars throughout the country have been named
scholars from various healthcare education programs since 2002 in an effort to promote leadership and skills for better public health education. Once accepted, a Paul
Ambrose Scholar is invited to attend a 4 day symposium designed to help shape the
process to implement public health programs within his or her community, and each
scholar’s program is then carried out within the following year accompanied by a $200
grant. Matthew discusses his role in the Paul Ambrose Scholar process with us.
Matthew Lassen:
The Paul Ambrose Scholars program is designed to expose health care professions students to influential public health leaders and to provide direction for their involvement with public health initiatives. I have always been
interested in public health and as a Physician Assistant I want to become involved with health care initiatives at
the community level. The Paul Ambrose Scholars program is a great opportunity to begin that involvement. It
also provides exposure and contacts for students that may be interested in a career with the National Health
Services Corps. The application process was not difficult. The portion of the application that requires the most
time is the project proposal. Each applicant is required to have a faculty mentor. Dr. Diduch kindly agreed to
be my mentor. He helped me shape the ideas I had for my project into a well-constructed and sound proposal.
The Paul Ambrose symposium was a four day event in Washington, DC. A total of 45 scholars attended, all
of which are students of various health care professions including physician assistants, medicine, dentistry,
physical therapy, nursing, and pharmacy. The first day we toured some of the local federally funded community
clinics that serve low-income populations in the DC area. I found this to be the most effective part of the entire
event, witnessing the excellent service that so many talented health care professionals provide to individuals
that would not otherwise receive the care they need. The next three days were filled with speakers from the
public health community, including a past Deputy Surgeon General, the current Deputy Surgeon General, the
Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services, and other public health officials and leaders. Everyone attending and speaking at the symposium had a strong interest in contributing to the improvement of our public
health system. I met a lot of good people that were only there because they want to make a difference in the
lives of others.
Currently, I am working with some of our local community organizations to increase public awareness of the
benefits of physical exercise and weight loss for the prevention of heart disease and type II diabetes. My
long-term goals are to continue to be involved at the community level with organizations that serve low-income
populations. The Paul Ambrose scholar program is a great way to get exposure to various public health career opportunities and get involved in public health initiatives within the community. I am most excited about
passing this information onto the next class. It really is a good opportunity for students interested in becoming
involved in public health initiatives or working at community clinics that serve low-income populations.
Congratulations Matthew!
Go to the link http://www.aptrweb.org/?page=pasp to find out more about the Paul Ambrose Scholars Program
Jim Hammond Earns Well-Deserved
State Distinction
At the Virginia Academy of Physician Assistants (VAPA) summer conference in Virginia Beach,
newly retired JMU PA Program Director Jim Hammond found himself as the recipient of one of
the state association’s top awards: the 2013 VAPA Physician Assistant of the Year. This award
is presented to a PA in the state of Virginia demonstrating great service not only with VAPA but
also the profession and his or her community through proven leadership, effective educational
services, and positive mentorship. Jim commented on his receiving this award that, “It was a
surprise and a very nice honor.” It is a nice honor indeed to top off an already successful career
as a Physician Assistant and educator. Congratulations Jim!
Jim Hammond: 2013 VAPA Physician
Assistant of the Year!
Jim accepting his award at the VAPA Conference
on July 22nd.
James Madison University Physician Assistant Program
801 Carrier Drive, MSC 4301
Harrisonburg, VA 22807
Phone: (540) 568-2395
E-mail: paprogram@jmu.edu
Website: http://www.healthsci.jmu.edu/PA/index.html
Twitter: @JMU_PASS