PAs Go Beyond

Paola Gonzalez, MPAS, PA-C, is the 2024 recipient of the Diversity Award. A PA for more than 20 years, Gonzalez is passionate about helping communities who face diminished resources and healthcare disparities. She is the current president of PAs for Latino Health.

Hardik Thakkar, MSPAS, PA-C , is the recipient of the 2024 Preceptor of the Year Award. Thakkar manages a team of APPs at Moffitt Cancer Center, where he has precepted over 20 PA students over the last three years, and has established a program to increase preceptor participation.

Ryan D. White, PhD, PA-C , is the recipient of the 2024 Publishing Award as the author of “Examining the Influence of PA Scope of Practice Reforms and Individual Characteristics on Wages,” which investigated how the PA practice environment impacts PA compensation and was published in Medical Care Research and Review.

The 2024 Outstanding Student Society is the CUNY School of Medicine PA Program, whose members conducted outreach to high school students, hosted and attended events to celebrate diversity, and held drives for needed supplies within their community.

The recipient of the 2023 CO Outreach and Advocacy Award is the Minnesota Academy of PAs (MAPA). MAPA utilized its 12 committees to provide PAs with CME opportunities, further diversity, equity and inclusion, advance advocacy initiatives, and more.

After 20 years of practicing as a PA in rural medicine, Marie Patterson is focused on filling the gap in access to care while educating and inspiring the next generation of PAs. Speaking from first-hand experience, Patterson and PA student Molly Valentine discuss what fueled their decision to practice rural medicine and the benefits it offers PAs and the patients they serve.

PA Colleen Sloan realized that her background as a registered dietitian meant she could offer a valuable perspective on nutrition and weight to other clinicians. On her podcast, Exam Room Nutrition, she brings on registered dietitians to answer questions that clinicians commonly get about nutrition.