Hofstra Making Strides!
Jessica Perciballi and Hailey Orgass, PA-S
Hofstra University Physician Assistant program, Class of 2021
On October 20, 2019, Hofstra University’s PA students, faculty, and friends gatheredin the fight against breast cancer. The PA program joined thousands of other Long Islanders at Jones Beach to not only raise awareness, but also to raise money for such a near and dear cause.Unfortunately, Long Island has one of the highest rates of breast cancer in the United States. Together, with the help of family and friends, the program was able to raise over $2,300. This money goestowardresearch, providing information,andoffering rides to those who need to travel to seek treatment. Our program is proud to have been able to join the American Cancer Society in Making Strides Against Breast Cancer.
Hofstra University Physician Assistant Program, Class of 2021
-Hailey Orgass and Jessica Percibelli, PA-S
On October 10, 2019, PA students from Hofstra’s School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies participated in Organ Donor Enrollment Day. Students from the didactic and research classes collaborated with LiveOn NY and ran a booth in Hofstra’s student center where they educated students on New York’s Donate Life Registry and facilitated sign-ups within the Hofstra community. New York State has one of the lowest registered organ donorlist, ranking 49th in the United States. As future health care providers, it is our responsibility to “do good” for our patients and this can take the form of educating those around us on pressing public health issues. Over the course of the day, we received many student and professor registrations. We will continue to spread the word about organ donation!
Hempstead Food Share
-Katharine Scozzari, Class of2020
“Food is a right, for all people.” This is how Community Solidarity’s Hempstead Food Share ends its mission statement on its website. Strong agreement with this statement coupled with a desire to give back to the Hempstead community brought members of the PA class of 2020 together on a Sunday afternoon to volunteer their time, hard work, and support of a wonderful organization’s mission. The Food Share takes place every Sunday, providing tens of thousands of pounds of fresh produce to individuals in need of a helping hand. Hempstead citizens are provided with enough fruits and vegetables for the week as well as bread, prepared meals, frozen foods, and desserts. The ability to help individuals ranging from young children, physically and mentally impaired individuals, families, and all those in between was extremely rewarding for those who volunteered. The three and a half hours of lifting and moving boxes, sorting produce, and passing out food to grateful individuals was an incredible way for us to spend our Sunday. It reminded us why we became PAs, with the joy that comes with helping others.
PA Students' Summer Mission Trip to Panama – August 2018
-Erica Otterbeck, PA-S, Global Medical Brigades Hofstra Chapter President
One of the goals of Hofstra University’s Physician Assistant program is to instill a desire among its students to serve populations with limited access to quality care. This past August, myself and four of my fellow PA students, Eddie Bonfiglio, Justin Fallacaro, David Lavallee, and Anthony Lazzaro, had the privilege to experience this.
During our one-week trip to Panama we worked with the international, nonprofit organization, Global Medical Brigades, as well as nine PA students from Salus University in Pennsylvania. We traveled to the rural communities of Embera Puru and El Tirao to set up medical and dental clinics. As students we were able to measure vitals in triage, organize and collect medications in the pharmacy, apply fluoride applications to children, and shadow the physicians with the aid of a Spanish-English interpreter. We also set up “charlas” or short discussions with the children to teach them about important health practices such as handwashing and oral hygiene.
Not only did we gain clinical skills, but we were also able to better understand the lack of health care in rural areas of Panama due to poverty and poor access. To prepare for our trip we collected supplies,such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, and bars of soap, to make hygiene packs. Such a simple donation was greatly appreciated by the people we met in the clinics and helped me to appreciate all the luxuries we take for granted here. I believe I speak for the five of us in saying that this experience was extremely eye-opening and showed us the immense strength and gratitude of the Panamanian people – some of whom traveled by foot for hours to see a provider. This will certainly not be my last medical mission trip and I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in or working in the healthcare field.
Hofstra University PA Class of '19 Summer Community Service/Charity Work
- Evan Mesh, SAAPA Outreach Chair, CO 2019
Although the PA students at Hofstra University had classes to attend during their last semester of didactic year during the beautiful weather of Summer 2018, they still made it their mission to venture out of the classroom to touch the hearts of those in need. The Class of 2019 had a few specific organizations that they especially wanted to devote their time to; the first of which was the Long Island Alzheimer's Association. A few of the students in this class and one of the faculty members have had family members that have suffered and passed on from Alzheimer's disease. Despite their previous efforts to raise money for the organization in the past, they wanted to do more. The class chose to participate in a paint party with the members of the LI Alzheimer's Association. A group of students left campus on a Friday after lecture with their paintbrushes in hand. They spent several hours socializing, laughing, talking, painting and most of all providing warm company to those who suffer from this disease. The members of the association enjoyed their company so much, that they were asking if they would be able to return every week to see them.
Additionally, the students of the Class of 2019 found a unique group whose mission was one that was spoke to the hears of the whole class. This group is "We Care Blankets" and their mission is to provide all pediatric cancer patients with warm blankets as comfort as they undergo grueling treatment in the hopes of a cure. Now these are no ordinary blankets. They are knitted by various volunteers with the main threads being "super saver red heart yarn", which is specifically safe for the cancer patients and is easily washed by the facility's laundry service. The Hofstra PA department collected bails of yarn then shipped this yarn over to We Care Blankets the group to be knitted and sent out to several pediatric cancer hospitals. The number of blankets knitted from the yarn submitted by Hofstra exceeded 200!!
The last summer charity event that the CO 2019 participated in was one that hits close to home. Every year the students of Hofstra's PA Program take part in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk located at Jones Beach. This walk is a mass event held in October to spread awareness of the disease, donate money to fund research, support services and promote early detection. A few months ago, a member of the Class of 2019 was diagnosed with breast cancer. Students and faculty have rallied their support around this student as she fights this disease and continues on her path to become a PA. On August 10th, the CO 2019 friends, family and PA Program Faculty pinked out the beach in support of breast cancer awareness but more importantly in support of their fellow student! SAAAPA hosted a beach volleyball tournament consisting of 8 teams of 6 players, held in Long Beach, NY. The catch to this tournament was that each player was required to donate $10, which was not a reward for the winning team, but entirely for donation to the American Cancer Society via the program's team for the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk.
Hofstra Education Workshops - Spring 2018
The Hofstra University Department of Physician Assistant Studies once again partnered with our neighboring Hempstead School District to bring educational health workshops to school children in grades kindergarten through high school. First year graduate PA students created interactive presentations and activities on preventative health issues such as hand washing, oral hygiene, smoking, nutrition, exercise, mental health, and bullying. 2018 marks the 4th year the PA program has teamed up with the Hempstead School District and this initiative has grown each year. This year, PA students visited nearly 190 classrooms and reached just over 3800 Hempstead students!
Hofstra PA Students Support Long Island Alzheimer’s Foundation
- Evan Mesh, PA-S, SAAAPA Outreach Chair, Class of 2019
This past Winter, Hofstra Northwell’s SAAAPA Class of 2019 set out to raise money for specific organizations that dealt with care of diseased patients. They met to differentiate which organizations hit closest to home. A few of the student members had come to the realization that they each had grandparents that are currently living with or had recently passed away with Alzheimer’s disease. Fortunately, the standing SAAAPA President of the Class of 2019, Marissa LoMonaco, had a close connection with the L.I. Alzheimer’s Foundation, located no more than 5 miles away from the Hofstra University Campus. They brainstormed different fundraising ideas and ended up running two full Super Bowl Pools through the end of January. Students, faculty, family members, and friends were able to invest their money towards a good cause, and take a chance in the Super Bowl to win a cash prize for themselves! Besides the very lucky winners of each quarter, the fundraiser set aside 50% of all proceeds to be donated to the L.I. Alzheimer’s Foundation. Pictured are the President and the Outreach Chair of Hofstra’s SAAAPA Class of 2019, Marissa LoMonaco, PA-S, and Evan Mesh, PA-S; standing with the Community Outreach and Events Coordinator for the foundation, Christine Rice. This was SAAAPA’s first big check presentation, and rightfully so, as they raised a total of $900! This was an overwhelming surprise to Christine Rice and the foundation. This was the largest sum of money that SAAAPA was able to fundraise and donate this year. As a group, Hofstra’s SAAAPA Class of 2019 would like to thank everyone who took part in this event, and note that all donations were in honor of loved ones, Henry Starck, Jean Beekman, and Mildred Ragusa.
Hofstra PA Students Spreading the Word about Organ Donation
- April 13, 2018
April is Donate Life Month and in support of this cause, Hofstra PA Students donned their blues and greens on Friday, April 13th! Their photo was featured on LiveOnNY’s Instagram and Facebook pages!!
Hofstra PA Class of 2019 Lends a Helping Hand this Thanksgiving
Hofstra PA Students 'Take Steps' for Crohn's and Colitis – June 2017
As part of their ongoing dedication to improving the health and wellness of their community, Hofstra PA Students took part in SAAAPA's outdoor yoga class and the Long Island Crohn's and Colitis walk. They raised over $500 for the foundation! Great work by an inspiring group of students!
Hofstra PA Students Visit Hempstead Schools
April 2017, Karly Silverman, CO 2018
Throughout the second semester of their didactic year, physician assistant students visited 133 classrooms, a total of 2,775 students, in the Hempstead Public School district to educate students on various public health issues that might otherwise not be given much attention. The topics included hygiene, bullying, self-esteem, and nutrition, as well as modifiable risk factors for diabetes and heart disease. Each topic was targeted at a certain age group—proper handwashing techniques were presented to kindergarteners through second-graders, while limiting the risk factors for cardiovascular diseases later in life was aimed at high school students. Importantly, these subjects were presented to students at an age where a fundamental understanding of these issues could have a tremendous positive impact on their health and well-being for the rest of their lives.
Many students in the Hempstead school district lack the means to maintain a healthy lifestyle that may seem commonplace to other people. For example, at Barack Obama Elementary School, about three-quarters of the students are eligible for free lunch. This means that their families may not have the means necessary to purchase healthy food choices for their children, which automatically puts them at a higher risk for developing heart disease and other problems later in life. The goal of these visits was to educate the students on making simple and affordable changes to their lifestyle, such as buying a bottle of water instead of a Coca-Cola, or playing outside instead of playing video games.
The lessons were well-received by the students, who were engaged throughout the presentations and seemed to have gained a great deal of knowledge about the variety of topics. This was the third year of participation in this initiative by the Hofstra PA Program, with an increasing number of classrooms visited with each subsequent year. This opportunity has proven once again to be a valuable experience for both the students and the instructors, and is a tradition that is worth keeping in the years to come!
Hofstra PA Program Holds Spring Clothing Drive
- Karly Silverman, CO 18
Hofstra’s PA students and faculty gave back to their community this Spring by donating clothes, books, and household items to New Ground, an organization that supports homeless veterans and families in Long Island. Along with providing these necessities, New Ground also offers employment counseling, financial literacy, life skills development, reading assistance, and much more to help families break the cycle of poverty and homelessness. This is the PA program's second year hosting this clothing drive for New Ground.
TOYS FOR TOTS 2016
-Karly Silverman, CO 18
Hofstra’s PA students helped spread holiday cheer this season by collecting and donating over 100 toys for less fortunate children in Nassau County. The Toys for Tots drive has been an annual event for Hofstra’s PA Program, and they are proud to continue the tradition of serving their community and making children’s holidays a little brighter. The students collected the toys throughout the month of December and donated them to a local drop-off just in time for the children to receive them as gifts for the holidays. Spreading joy throughout the community was extremely gratifying and they hope to participate in a Toys for Tots drive every year!
Hofstra PA Student Thanksgiving Food Drive 2016
In the spirit of giving, the Hofstra University PA Program once again hosted a food drive to benefit the EAC Network, a non-profit human services agency that feeds the hungry across Long Island and New York City. This year, the initiative collected 420 items. In the past 3 years, over 1,700 items have been donated.
“One of the PA Studies program’s goals is to instill a desire among its students to serve populations with limited access to quality care,” said Karly Silverman’18, outreach chair for the Hofstra chapter of the Student Academy of the American Academy of Physician Assistants (SAAAPA). “By participating in drives like this every year, we help meet that goal while also serving those in need in our community.”
Animal Shelter – By Heather Leiser
Students from Hofstra's Physician Assistant Program came together and established the "Toys for Tails" pet supply drive. They wanted to help out the furry friends of the local community by gathering pet food, toys, and cleaning items for nearby animal shelters!
Love Your Melon – By Megan Dauscher
Hofstra University Physician Assistant Studies Program along with the Hofstra University Occupational Therapy Program to raise money for the Love Your Melon charity. The goal of this organization is to improve the lives of children battling cancer across the country while raising awareness for childhood cancer and supporting other non-profit organizations leading the fight in pediatric cancer. With the combined efforts of the Hofstra students and faculty both programs raised over $910 for their organization. Hofstra loves Love Your Melon!
Hofstra PA Students Hold Clothing Drive to Benefit Homeless and Veteran Population in Hempstead
Michael Scala, CO 2017
Throughout January and February, Hofstra University's PA students organized a clothing drive to benefit New Ground—a non-profit organization that provides social work and educational services to veterans and the homeless population. Since the organization's founding in 1991, they have helped thousands of people break the cycle of poverty with an astounding 80% of their graduates becoming self-sufficient home owners. Our clothing drive efforts focused on providing New Ground with the resources they need to help the homeless and veteran population in the Hempstead area.
Hofstra PA Students in the Hempstead Community
Michael Scala, CO 2017
For the second year in a row, students at Hofstra University's PA program are presenting various preventative medicine topics in the Hempstead School District. Second semester students have tailored their instructional material to different age groups and focused each presentation on preventative medicine measures that all children and adolescents can practice. The topics include hand washing/hygiene, bullying and self-esteem, oral health, exercise, nutrition, safe sex education, and modifiable risk factors for diabetes mellitus and heart disease.
The goal of this project is to educate students of all ages from underserved communities on different public health initiatives that directly impact their well-being. Bullying effects nearly 22% of 6th through 12th graders and studies have shown that the rates of reported bullying decreases substantially as a child ages. One group focused their presentation on helping students learn what bullying is, how to prevent it, and how to handle a bullying situation they may experience—if they have not already. Another group developed an interactive hand washing activity for pre-K aged students; focusing on why hand washing is important, when you should wash your hands, and how to effectively do so.
For the older students, Hofstra's PA candidates developed nutrition and exercise presentations that focused on helping adolescents make alternative choices in their diet that are cost effective and convenient while mixing in dance activities and jump rope to get fit and stay fit!
In 2008, teen pregnancy rates in the 'high risk' communities, which includes Hempstead, was 8.5%. In 2014, that rate dropped to 4.8%. While the rates have dropped, Hempstead still has a teen pregnancy rate 4 times that of the rest of the United States. Increased health care access and education have been paramount to decreasing these numbers. The sex-ed presentation focused on educating high school students on safe-sex techniques and the risk associated with promiscuity.
Beyond getting involved in our surrounding area, the opportunity for us to take what we learn in the classroom and practice presenting in a community setting was invaluable. We look forward to the rest of our presentations as well as assisting in the Hempstead School District's Career Day!
Hofstra PA Students on Medical Brigade to Nicaragua - By Meagan Sanko, CO 2016
While many were enjoying the last few days of summer vacation, on August 15th, 2015 six Hofstra University PA students (Farah Doxey, Christal Perez, Sarah Pullar, Meagan Sanko, Kason Wan and Sarah Williams) joined forces with 2 other schools (CUNY Macaulay Honors College and Wake Forest University) for a medical brigade to Nicaragua. Once there, the students were divided into two groups, servicing clinics in two different communities - Las Mangas and Pueblo Nuevo. While in the clinics, the students participated in the care of patients in 8 various stations - intake, triage, consult, charla, dental, pharmacy, OB GYN, and data entry. In three days, the two clinics attended to over 3,000 patients. The patients demonstrated their gratitude with a ceremony for the volunteers that included traditional music and dancing.
Several of the students also participated in a public health initiative while in Nicaragua. This involved staying in the country an extra three days to put in cement floors, a sanitation system and build latrines for families in need.
All of the students said the experience was extremely memorable and rewarding. It provided them the opportunity to deliver care to those with limited access to quality medical care and helped to solidify the importance of preventive medicine. They hope to pass the torch on to future students and continue their service to those in need.
Hofstra PA Students to Receive a National Health Service Corps Scholarship
Erin Cady, Class of 2015 on receiving the distinguished National Health Service Corps scholarship. Students in select medical, dental and mental health professions compete for this national scholarship program that pays tuition, fees and provides a living stipend to students enrolled in accredited medical programs. Upon graduation, scholarship recipients serve as primary care providers between two and four years in a community-based site in a high-need Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA). Awards are made to applicants most committed to serving underserved people and most likely to build successful careers in HPSAs and meet future needs for care throughout the Nation. Congratulations to Erin on meeting this call to service.
FAQs
What are the goals of a physician assistant? ›
PAs should be able to: Adhere to standards of care in the role of the PA in the health care. Demonstrate compassion, integrity, and respect for. Demonstrate responsiveness to patient needs that supersedes self-interest.
How do you answer why do you want to attend this PA program? ›The best answers use your past experiences as a base to project what you want from a PA program, even if you might change your mind when you get there. For example, if you have a lot of experience working at free or mobile clinics, you should focus on finding similar ways to help the underserved at the PA program.
How can I increase my chances of getting into PA school? ›To increase your chances of getting into PA school, keep your GPA as high as possible, take the GRE and score high, and earn at least some shadowing hours or work experience. Next to this, your best chances of success are in writing a stellar personal statement and acing the admissions interview.
What is the most important thing to do when preparing for a PA program? ›- 3 Things Everyone Should do Before Starting PA School.
- Master Your Medical Terminology. Before you start PA school, you need to know your medical terminology. ...
- Start Prepping for Pharmacology. ...
- Get a "Leg Up" on Anatomy.
The purpose of patient education efforts often is to inform, encourage a change in behavior and teach new needed skills. The goal is to improve adherence to therapeutic regimens, encourage new lifestyles, or help the patient adopt other behaviors that prevent disease and disability.
What are the six PA core values? ›- Medical Knowledge. ...
- Interpersonal & Communications Skills. ...
- Patient Care. ...
- Professionalism. ...
- Practice-based Learning & Improvement. ...
- Systems-based Practice.
Mention specific skills that make you a great PA, such as teamwork, communication, compassion, and your desire to work as a healthcare provider. If you were faced with challenges and obstacles during your high school or college career, address them and discuss how you've grown from the experience.
What makes a successful PA student? ›To execute this responsibility, PAs must have confidence in their patient assessment and diagnostic skills, decision-making skills and caregiving abilities. They also need to communicate that confidence to patients so they will be more likely to follow the PAs guidance.
What makes you stand out for PA school? ›PA programs evaluate applicants in the following areas: GPA, Clinical Experience, and other non-academic factors. Because each school places different weight on each area, be sure to research specific schools.
How many people get into PA school on the first try? ›Like many other medical schools, physician assistant programs are notoriously difficult to get into for most students. According to the PAEA, the average acceptance rate into a PA school is around 20%. But this acceptance rate can vary by state.
What is the lowest GPA accepted to PA school? ›
Many PA schools have a minimum GPA requirement of 3.0 either in cumulative coursework or science courses. Some have higher minimum requirements while other have requirements that are lower than 3.0. Some programs do not list a minimum GPA requirement.
Can an average student become a PA? ›→ The average PA school student has between a 3.5 and 3.6 overall GPA and an undergraduate science GPA of 3.5. The average overall GPA for students who were not accepted into PA school was 3.28.
What do PA programs look for in applicants? ›PA programs will evaluate the extent of your clinical (direct patient contact), healthcare (exposure to medical settings), and community service experiences. They prefer students who have 1,000 hours or more of hands-on experience in clinical settings and who work well with people of all backgrounds.
What is the hardest class in PA school? ›Many students report that pharmacology and the human sciences are the hardest classes in PA school.
How can I improve my PA school application? ›- Finding Resources. ...
- Apply Early. ...
- GPA. ...
- Healthcare and Patient Care Experience. ...
- Volunteering and Shadowing. ...
- GRE. ...
- Personal Statement. ...
- The Interview.
The objectives of health education include providing knowledge, developing positive attitudes towards health issues and promoting decision-making.
What are the five goals of education? ›- A free and democratic society.
- A just and egalitarian society.
- A united, strong and self-reliant nation.
- A great and dynamic economy.
- A land full of bright opportunities for all citizens.
Helps Patients Make Infomed Decisions. One main reason for patient education in the hospital setting is so people can make informed decisions about their health. With a lack of health literacy of almost half the US adult population, it's difficult for many people to know what choices to make about their care.
What do you consider the most important characteristics of PA? ›The top three qualities a physician assistant can have are interpersonal, problem-solving, and soft skills, but the most important quality to consider is a PA's ability to perform their job and put the patient first.
What skills do you need to be a physician assistant? ›- Understanding of Complex Patient Presentations. ...
- Investigative and Analytical Mind. ...
- Foundational Knowledge. ...
- Practice-Based Learning and Improvement. ...
- System-Based Practice. ...
- Critical Thinking. ...
- Professionalism. ...
- Interpersonal Communication Skills.
What are the 3 core values of public health? ›
This is to fulfill the three core functions of public health: assessment, policy development, and assurance. These have become the guiding principles that define public health careers, as they all work toward the goal of achieving health equity.
How do I make my personal statement stand out in PA? ›So don't try to fabricate your statement or exaggerate your experiences. Instead, be honest, tell the admissions committees about your exposure to medicine, what you've learned, how you've grown, what you have accomplished, why it was important and how all of these experiences led to you wanting to become a PA.
How do you write a unique personal statement for PA school? ›Avoid generic and include things that are specific to you and what you saw. Anytime you can use a specific example or story in your essay, that's more effective. Show more than tell that you know what a PA is and what they do, and use those experiences to model the type of provider you want to be as a PA.
What do PA schools look for in a personal statement? ›When crafting a PA personal statement, students should highlight their unique academic and professional history while explaining why they've chosen to pursue this field of study. In particular, applicants want to reveal why they've chosen to become PAs rather than pursue another position in the medical field.
What are the top 3 skills of a PA? ›Active listening and good communication skills. Proactive approach to problem-solving. Ability to multitask. Strong time-management and organization skills.
How do you stand out at a PA school interview? ›- Identify your major talking points. Practice “The Big 3”
- Become familiar with commonly asked questions & create a mental organization tool.
- Schedule a mock interview.
- Record yourself.
- Missouri State University PA School. ...
- Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. ...
- Springfield College. ...
- The George Washington University Physician Assistant School. ...
- University of La Verne. ...
- University of New England Physician Assistant School. ...
- University of Utah.
Unfortunately, PA School is hard even before you start. Why? Because programs require candidates to have some type of clinical experience before applying. Many schools require 2,000 or more clinical experience in a healthcare related field.
How can I improve my GPA for PA school? ›If you are looking to take on extra courses to increase your credit hours to try to move your GPA a bit, upper-level courses are the way to go. With one exception. Some PA programs consider a separate prerequisite GPA for candidates. If your target programs do this, retaking entry-level courses may make sense.
Do I have a chance at getting into PA school? ›Getting accepted to PA programs is not easy. According to the latest data, the overall PA school acceptance rate in the United States is 31.6%, compared with about 40% acceptance rate for medical schools.