I graduated from the University of Iowa's Physician Assistant (PA) Program in the summer of 2012 with a Masters in Physician Assistant Studies. That fall, I began working at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, as a PA on the inpatient cardiology service. I enjoyed that job and experience at the Mayo Clinic immensely, but the completion of my husband's medical school training heralded a new chapter to be completed at another outstanding institution, Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
I was fortunate to have the opportunity to join the Page Campbell Cardiology Service in early 2014. Our service is an inpatient cardiology service that functions as a non-teaching hospitalist team taking care of a wide variety of patients with a primary cardiac issue. We work closely with our physician colleagues to manage and care for the patient throughout the hospitalization, from admission through discharge. The complexity of patients frequently requires consultation with services of other medical disciplines, a welcomed aspect of the job as it provides many opportunities to learn something varied and new.
It is well known that heart disease remains the number one cause of adult deaths in the United States and as a result, the number of patients our team cares for continues to climb. I, along with my colleagues, work hard not only to provide quality care to our patients, but also to educate them about their disease as well as achievable steps that they can take to improve their heart and overall health. It is very rewarding to know that I may have played a role in a patient deciding to make real changes in their life in an effort to be healthier.
My favorite part of this job is getting to work with my wonderful advanced practice colleagues. I am continuously impressed not only by their wealth of knowledge, but also by their management abilities, patience, and compassion. As the most junior member of our team, I strive to improve my practice daily and hold each of them as a shining example to work toward.
My personal interests include spending time with my husband and new son. I am sure I must have had other interests before my son was born, but I can't seem to think of any as all I ever want to do anymore is spend time with them!