Awards

PA of The Year Award

2025 Nomination Information 

The Iowa PA of the Year Award, honors a physician assistant who exemplifies excellence in patient care, leadership, advocacy, and community service within the state of Iowa.


Qualifications: The candidate must be an IPAS member and serve the Iowa community. Please complete the information below and attach a document with a paragraph stating why you believe this person should be PA of the Year.



Submissions: To submit a PA of the Year nomination click the links below to either submit your application online or download the PDF to submit a hard copy via email.

2024 PA OF THE YEAR

Laura Cunningham, PA-C, MPAS, CAQ-Psychiatry

The Iowa Physician Assistant Society (IPAS) is proud to announce Laura Cunningham, PA-C, as the prestigious PA of the Year award recipient. Laura's dedication to her patients, profession, and community exemplifies the highest standards of care and leadership in healthcare. She practices at Focused Life Clinic in West Des Moines, where she delivers essential psychiatric care to Iowa's rural and urban residents.


Laura, a 2015 graduate of the Des Moines University PA Program, has served in multiple medical specialties including Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, Psychiatry, and Urgent Care. In 2021, Laura became the founder and CEO of Focused Life Clinic which has expanded under her leadership to 6 providers, meeting the growing need for accessible mental health services in Iowa. Additionally, she has helped multiple other practitioners start independent medical practices that help serve a variety of patient needs. Laura has consistently expanded her education and expertise which is evident by earning a Certificate of Additional Qualifications in psychiatry and currently pursuing a Doctor of Medical Science in Administrative Medicine from the University of Lynchburg.


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