IPAS 2023 PA of the Year

Melissa Gentry
Melissa Gentry

The IPAS 2023 PA of the Year is Melissa Gentry! Her nomination letter was very compelling and touched on the many ways Melissa has been instrumental in progressing and protecting PA practice in the state. We're excited to share some of the comments from her recommendation below.

 

"Melissa provided outstanding service on the Iowa PA Regulatory Board for 9 years (2013-2022) during a most challenging time. This included 3 years as chair. With integrity and articulateness she spoke truth to power on the PA board. Under her watch the PA board followed the law faithfully. ... And under her watch PA complaints were dealt with promptly to protect the public while treating the PA fairly.

Knowing how essential PAs were to increasing access to care, Melissa always worked for sensible PA regulation. She worked diligently with other members of the PA regulatory board to ensure that PA rules followed the law and encouraged PAs to provide care where it was most needed.

As a dedicated PA she has always strived to go beyond the usual requirements to bring better care to more people. Locally she served as Ottumwa YMCA Board of Directors and President. For our profession she served as Iowa PA Society Secretary and President Elect. For AAPA she served as a Mental Health First Aid Instructor, as a Reimbursement Work Group member and as a member of the Federation of State Medical Boards committee that developed the model legislation for the PA Interstate Licensure Compact. (This legislation makes it easier for PAs to practice across state lines.)

During her career as a PA she has practiced in a wide variety of settings including emergency departments, remote site settings, chemical dependency units, as a psychiatry practice owner, as a PA educator at the University of Dubuque PA Program and as a PA doing special medical assessments for our military service members. Currently, she practices in another of our areas of great need, psychiatry.

Her ability to explain medical issues to policy makers served her patients and profession in good stead. Visiting Iowa members of Congress in Washington DC, she helps us secure the co- sponsorship of national PA legislation by the entire IA Congressional Delegation. These include Medicare direct pay for PAs, certifying patients for Medicare and Medicaid home health and providing care for Medicare hospice patients. On the state level, this included these same improvements for Medicaid."

Congratulations to Melissa, as well as our most genuine thanks for all her service to IPAS and Iowa PAs!


 

If you're interested in nominating someone for PA of the Year, please complete this form.

IPAS 2022 PA of the Year

David Faldmo

David Faldmo, PA-C, MPAS, graduated from the University of Iowa PA Program in 1992 and joined the staff at the Siouxland Community Health Center.  He is dedicated to the mission of community health centers – serving the medically underserved.  

During his tenure as quality director, SCHC has received many quality awards from HRSA and is regularly ranked in the top 10% of all federally qualified health centers in quality performance.

Dave has always understood the need to ensure legislation which allows PAs to use their skills, and to gain the support of his Sioux City area legislators. By educating his legislators he was instrumental in helping to pass laws permitting PAs to better serve their patients.

Dave has been an active member of several state and local boards, including serving on the IPAS board of directors.

 

If you're interested in nominating someone for PA of the Year, please complete this form.

Iowa PA Society 2021 PA of the Year

Ron Schafer - Iowa PA of the Year 2021

Ron Schafer, PA-C, MPAS, has provided outstanding medical care to the people of Ringgold County for more than 30 years. During that time he served as an EMT, a Paramedic, a Respiratory Therapist Tech, a certified wound care provider - and as a PA for the past 20 years. Ron has gone beyond the call of duty to provide extra care for his patients by earning certification in wound care, ACLS, ATLS, and PALS. His service as an Iowa delegate to the national AAPA House of Delegates for nine years and membership on Iowa’s state Rural Health and Primary Care Advisory Committee for six years demonstrated his dedication to his profession and his state. Additionally, he is a career long member of the Iowa PA Society and the national PA organization AAPA. Beyond these services he showed his commitment to service of his local community and others through his membership in the Mount Ayr Chamber of Commerce, his local food bank, Ringgold County Cares, Chicken Wings for charity and his support of his local movie theater.

In this space age Ron still makes house calls for those who don’t have transportation to the clinic or are home bound.

Whenever his local, state, or federal legislators need information about PA legislation Ron is always ready to provide concise and accurate data about how the proposals will improve access to care. Due to his excellent reputation as a local medical care provider, his explanation promptly gains the support of his legislators. Adding to his effectiveness, his local legislators know him personally.

Ron is a most outstanding PA and an outstanding person who well deserves recognition by his fellow PAs as Iowa PA of the year.

 

If you're interested in nominating someone for PA of the Year, please complete this form.

Iowa PA Society 2020 PA of the Year

Jim McGuire - Iowa PA of the Year 2020

Jim McGuire is a 1978 graduate of the University of Iowa PA Program who has served for 42 years as a Family Medicine PA in Forest City and Buffalo Center, Iowa. In addition he earned certification in emergency medicine and advance trauma management. He has staffed the Buffalo Center, a federally certified Rural Health Clinic since 1980. Also Jim has been the on call PA for the Buffalo Center Timely Mission nursing home and for Winnebago Industries of Forest City for the past 37 years. For more than 40 years he has served as the on call PA for MOSAIC, a home for the physically handicapped.

Jim was inspired to become a PA by his father who served a medic in the US Marine Corps -and his mother who practiced as a registered nurse.

A life long member of the Iowa PA Society and the AAPA Jim went the extra mile to educate legislators about PAs and medical care. Understanding that patients benefit when PAs are allowed to use their skills he always took the time to inform legislators about PA issues. Thought he was busy with his on call schedule he, never-the-less, was instrumental in IPAS efforts that achieved PA prescribing, insurance coverage for PA care, an independent PA Regulatory Board and many other changes that made medical care more accessible for patients. Most recently he helped persuade Rep. Linda Upmeyer to support direct Medicaid payment for PAs in 2019 when she was Speaker of the Iowa House.

One of Jim's Forest City patients, summarized what many others know about him: "Jim McGuire has been my preferred caregiver for years, & he is DEFINITEY a caring, compassionate and knowledgeable P.A. Last week, being in excruciating pain due to two accidents; my blood pressure spiked to 200/105 ~ life-threatening numbers. Jim took all the time I required, and I don't think I'd be here to write this, if he hadn't helped me. He is a WONDERFUL provider & human being!! Thank you, Jim McGuire!"

 

If you're interested in nominating someone for PA of the Year, please complete this form.