ATSU-ASHS Physician Assistant students earn top ASAPA honors
Posted: April 11, 2022
A.T. Still University-Arizona School of Health Sciences’ (ATSU-ASHS) Physician Assistant (PA) program students recently earned several honors from the Arizona State Association of Physician Assistants (ASAPA).
Second-year ATSU-ASHS PA student Jacob Layfield was recognized as the University’s selection for ASAPA Student of the Year. Layfield is currently completing his clinical year training with ATSU’s community health center partner in Casa Grande, Arizona.
Layfield’s preceptors have described him as possessing great communication and diagnostic interpretation skills.
“The lens by which I hope my future patients see me would be as a human-centered, excellence-striving, and passion-filled man who is on a journey to better the world through the medium of medicine,” Layfield said. “Ultimately, my pursuit for excellence lends me to also provide holistic and quality care to all patients I encounter. My aim is to provide comprehensive and quality care for all people with a focus of serving underserved populations. My goal as a future provider is to ultimately equip patients with the tools necessary for them to achieve success and improve their quality of life.”
First-year ATSU-ASHS PA student Marissa Stange was awarded an ASAPA student scholarship. Stange’s future plans are to begin her practice in urgent care in an underserved community, and eventually work in dermatology or plastic to work with patients experiencing skin cancer. She currently volunteers each week as a juvenile detention center mentor and each month at Feed My Starving Children, and the leadership and professional development chair and a student ambassador with ATSU-ASHS PA program.
Additionally, ATSU-ASHS PA students and faculty were recognized for poster presentations. First place went to Brittney Hulsey, PA-C, MSPAS, MS, assistant professor, and second-year student Jasmine Chaudhary for “EKG Warning Sign: Wellens’ Syndrome – A Case Report.” Honorable mention was awarded to Ami Mikhail, PA-C, MS, associate professor, and second-year student Mrea Holden for “Thymoma in Myasthenia Gravis – A Case Report.”
