I have been the legislative co-chair for PAs in Virtual Medicine and Telemedicine for two years. I began my healthcare career as an RN working in bone marrow transplantation and infectious disease at Fred Hutch Cancer Research Center in Seattle. Later on, I returned to school and completed my PA education at University of Washington MEDEX. I’ve spent the majority of my PA career working as a hospitalist in a rural, underserved community, where I saw the significant need for PAs in communities as such. In addition to managing acute illness, I provided primary and preventative care in the hospital, as access to primary care was, and continues to be, limited in rural areas.
I transitioned out of the inpatient world and into the telemedicine space. But, finding a position in telemedicine during a pandemic surprisingly did not come easy. As many of you have experienced, PA practice laws and administrative burdens make it exceedingly challenging for employers to hire us, especially in telemedicine. I became deeply concerned about the future of my chosen profession and immediately got involved with PAT and my state constituent organization.
I’ve co-chaired the legislative committee for PAVMT for two years, working to provide members with up to date state by state legislation and connecting them with valuable resources. Legislatively in Washington state, I have been working tirelessly on the bill to improve PA practice laws while also gaining support from key stakeholders as well as reaching out to other states who were successful in modernizing PA law and learning from them.
This year I am switching gears and am running for the board of director secretary role with PAVMT. While I will be consumed in the upcoming legislative session in Washington state, it is also important for me to continue an active role with PAVMT. As a past chair member of PAVMT I understand the structure and operation of the organization. I anticipate another successful year, keeping us organized, on track and on time. I’d be honored to have your trust and support.