In our latest Profile of Courage, a young North Carolina physician assistant (PA) finds himself monitoring juvenile COVID-19 patients quarantined at border patrol and embracing the challenge to serve kids in need. For Todd Harris, completing his MPAS in 2020 and then starting as a physician assistant at CaroMont Regional Medical Center in Gastonia, N.C. plants a long-awaited milestone on his journey toward a fulfilling career in health care.

For Peter Hairston, military service stands as a family tradition he hoped to continue. His father served as did previous generations before him. For Hairston the timing and prospects didn’t align until 2012 when a respected colleague, Dr. Henry Heard, presented a new pathway to uniform. “I got a wild hare and joined the military,” Hairston declares.

The Floyd Medical Center COVID-19 vaccination clinic is making great strides toward increased vaccine awareness thanks in no small part to Dr. Anne Cowan who runs the initiative with the efficiency and empathy needed to inform her community. Read more about her motivation in our Profile of Courage story.

In a recent webinar hosted by EDPMA, Dr. Yogin Patel shared his observations regarding evaluating the consumer mindset as it influences the healthcare marketplace. In that context, the COVID-19 pandemic has pushed forth various changes that may have longer-term implications. Dr. Patel finds the opportunities opening up to be an inspiration for growth.

As the calendar flips to the final weeks of her pregnancy, Dr. Jamila Goldsmith, Associate Medical Director of the emergency department at Houston Medical Center in Warner Robins, Georgia, spends time reflecting on the dramatic changes from the recent past. “We’re excited! It’s my first baby,” she effuses.

In December 2020, two vaccines were granted emergency use authorization (EUA) by the Food and Drug Administration for prevention of COVID-19 in the US. As these vaccines become widely available, we encourage all clinicians, hospital and health system leaders and other clinical professionals to share educational resources and insights about vaccine safety, how the vaccines work and the similarities and differences between the two.

Noren Salehani, PA-C | On Friday, April 3, I opened my email to find the subject, COVID-19 Update – Helping NYC, at the top of my inbox. It was an opportunity for clinicians to answer the mayor of New York City’s national call for help and provide relief to fellow clinicians working at the epicenter of the coronavirus. At the time, things in Birmingham were changing rapidly but nowhere near what was being reported about the impact the virus was having on the NYC population. The more I thought about the email and the opportunity it held, the more my mind raced. I had an open gate and an invaluable opportunity to help.