2021 VAPA Fall Conference

Speakers
Saturday, November 6 to Sunday, November 7, 2021

Alex Cervantes, PA-C

Alex Cervantes is originally from Miami, Florida. He completed his graduate education at FSU's PA program and transitioned into the Carilion Clinic Emergency Medicine ACP fellowship program shortly after graduation.
Emergency Medicine Extravaganza What you need to know about the approach to the patient presenting to the ED
November 6, 2021, 7:30 am

James Mueller, FNP-C

James Mueller is from Tampa, FL. He was an ER RN for 6 years prior to going to USFs FNP Program, where he graduated in 2020. He is currently in Carilion's EM ACP Fellowship program.
Emergency Medicine Extravaganza What you need to know about the approach to the patient presenting to the ED
November 6, 2021, 7:30 am

Randy Howell, DHSc, PA-C

Randy currently practices Emergency Medicine at Carilion Clinic in Roanoke, VA. He is the PA/NP Emergency Medicine Fellowship Director at Carilion Clinic, and an associate director of the Wilderness Medicine Fellowship at Carilion Clinic.

He started practice in rural, underserved primary care with the National Health Services Corps, and worked in orthopedic surgery prior to transitioning to Emergency Medicine.

His did his undergraduate work at Virginia Tech, his PA at Eastern Virginia Medical School, and Doctorate in Health Sciences at A.T. Still University.
He is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physician Assistant Studies at Radford University Carilion, and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Innovation and Implementation Science at Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine.

He serves on the Board of Directors for the Appalachian Center for Wilderness Medicine. He is a core instructor for Blue Ridge Adventure Medicine.
Emergency Medicine Extravaganza What you need to know about the approach to the patient presenting to the ED
November 6, 2021, 7:30 am

Clifton Sheets, MD

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Dr Sheets is board certified in Emergency Medicine and in Anti Aging and Regenerative Medicine. He currently is the managing partner of Prime Care Urgent and Family Care in Fredericksburg. He specializes in hormone balancing for both men and women. He is a 1983 graduate of the Medical College of Virginia and a 1986 graduate of the Wright State University Emergency Medicine Residency program. A former Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, he has lectured nationally on a variety of subjects. He resides in Ladysmith Virginia with his wife of 41 years
PMS, Evaluation and Treatment
November 6, 2021, 8:30 am

Jenna Rolfs, MPAS, PA-C

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Dr. Jenna Rolfs, DMSc, PA-C is the program director for the University of Lynchburg PA Medicine program in Lynchburg, VA. She also serves as the Secretary for the Virginia Academy Board of Directors. Dr. Rolfs obtained her Master of PA Studies from Butler University in 2010 and Doctor of Medical Science from the University of Lynchburg in 2020. Her clinical practice experience has primarily been in emergency medicine, general surgery, and urgent care. Dr. Rolfs enjoys teaching PA students and has a passion for working with students on both the community and international level doing medical mission work.
Medical Humanities and the Effects on Stress Levels, Burnout, Communication Skills, and Emotional Intelligence Among PA Students and Providers
November 6, 2021, 10:00 am

Nikoleta Delis, PA-C

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Niki Delis is a faculty member and the director of didactic education at the University of Lynchburg PA program. She is currently working towards her doctorate in medical science with a concentration in PA education.
Medical Humanities and the Effects on Stress Levels, Burnout, Communication Skills, and Emotional Intelligence Among PA Students and Providers
November 6, 2021, 10:00 am

Melissa Shaffron, PA-C

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Melissa Shaffron, MPAS, PA-C has been a practicing PA since 2012 with experience in Emergency Medicine and Urgent Care Medicine. She transitioned to PA Education in 2018, while continuing to practice clinically at a local urgent care. Melissa serves as the Associate Program Director and Director of Clinical Education for the University of Lynchburg School of PA Medicine. Within education, Melissa teaches ultrasound, problem based learning and a procedure course along with direct oversight of the clinical year curriculum and clinical experiences for all clinical year students. Melissa is passionate about providing service to the community and serves on the Lynchburg Community Care Collaborative, Health Professions Education Consortium and Area Health Education Center Advisory Committee.
Medical Humanities and the Effects on Stress Levels, Burnout, Communication Skills, and Emotional Intelligence Among PA Students and Providers
November 6, 2021, 10:00 am

Savannah Wright, MS, PA-C

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Savannah Wright, PA-C, MS, earned her Bachelors of Science in Biology from George Mason University and her Physician Assistant degree from Jefferson College of Health Science in 2017. She was the recipient of the clinical excellence award in 2017.

She joined Jefferson Surgical Clinic as a Vascular Surgery Physician Assistant in March of 2018. She is a member of AAPA (American Academy of Physician Assistants), VAPA (Virginia Academy of Physician Assistants), and SVS (Society for Vascular Surgery). Her clinical practice experience has primarily been in vascular surgery but includes general surgery as well. She supports vascular services and call coverage for two regional health systems. Additionally, she supports physician assistant education by being a preceptor for Radford University in collaboration with her Physician.
Peripheral Arterial Disease: From asymptomatic to critical limb ischemia
November 6, 2021, 11:00 am

Marc Covitz, MSN, FNP, Senior Medical Science Liaison, AbbVie HEP C,

Non-CME Sponsored Lunch Symposium: HCV Disease State and Management
November 6, 2021, 12:00 pm

Michelle Kerr, MPAS, PA-C

Michelle Kerr has been a Physician Assistant for nearly 30 years, practicing initially in primary care and then expanding to urgent care. She has been at Atrium Health in NC for 13 years, practicing clinically in urgent care, and holding a leadership position within the organization. Michelle serves as an Assistant Specialty Medical Director responsible for 10 of the 30 Atrium Health Urgent Care locations, and as Chief APP (Advanced Practice Provider) for the entire Urgent Care division, advocating and representing over 120 APPs. She actively teaches, updates, and reviews the standard of care practiceses within the Atrium Healthcare system. She serves on several system-wide and interdisciplinary committees and strategy groups.
Michelle continues to serve as adjunct faculty at Rochester Institute of Technology's PA program for over 25 years, still returning yearly to lecture even after moving to NC.
Pediatric Pearls
November 6, 2021, 1:00 pm

Calvin Hall, PA-C

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From Cookeville Tennessee. Went to Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate Tennessee. Graduated PA school class of 2020. Currently completing post graduate Fellowship in Hospital Medicine and Critical Care at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital. Will be joining the Pulmonary / Critical Care group at Erlanger Medical Center in Chattanooga Tennessee upon completion of Fellowship.
Cirrhosis - Understanding Causes and Early Detection
November 6, 2021, 2:00 pm

Kimberly Sapre, DMSc, PA-C, CAQ-EM, DFAAPA

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Dr. Kimberly Sapre (suh'- pray) is a Medical Consultant in the insurtech industry and has been a PA for 13 years. Before transitioning to nonclinical work, she worked as an Emergency Medicine PA at the only Level 1 trauma center in northern Virginia. Kimberly loves teaching. She is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Shenandoah University Doctor of Medical Science program where she teaches the Health Equity & Justice course. She is the Chief Delegate for VAPA and she is the Chair of the AAPA DEI Commission. She lives with her husband in Alexandria, VA, and enjoys reading in her free time.
Sickle Cell Disease Pain Management: Addressing Racism and Discrimination
November 6, 2021, 3:30 pm

Stephen Brunton, MD, FAAFP, CDCES

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Dr. Brunton is Executive Vice President for Education for the Primary Care Education Consortium. He works in a group practice in rural South Carolina. He holds the faculty rank of Adjunct Clinical Professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice at Roseman University of Health Sciences in Salt Lake City, Utah and Adjunct Associate Clinical Professor at Touro University in Vallejo, California. He currently also serves as the Editor-in-Chief for Clinical Diabetes and the Executive Director of the Primary Care Metabolic Group.

Dr. Brunton earned his medical degree at Monash University Medical School in Melbourne, Australia and completed his residency in family practice at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center in California. He is a board-certified family physician, with a certificate of added qualifications in geriatrics.

As former president of the California Academy of Family Physicians and the Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors, Dr Brunton has held many positions within the American Academy of Family Physicians. He served as director of the Division of Education in the early 1980s and was a family practice residency director in California for 13 years.

A frequent lecturer, Dr Brunton also has published numerous articles, chapters, and monographs on family medicine and related clinical topics. He serves in editorial capacities for Internal Medicine Alert, Clinical Diabetes and Consultant. He has served as a reviewer for American Family Physician, CMRO, Southern Medical Journal, Expert Review of Endocrinology and Metabolism and the Journal of Family Practice.
A New Era in Cardiometabolic Risk Reduction
November 6, 2021, 4:30 pm

Barry Diduch, MD

Trained as a family physician, Kent Diduch, currently teaches at the Murphy Deming College of Health Sciences with their PA program. He also serves as the primary care team physician for Mary Baldwin University. Before coming to MBU/MDCHS he was at JMU for 11 years and private practice for 13.
WORKSHOP Concussion Evaluation and Management
November 7, 2021, 7:30 am

David Sullivan, PA-C, MHS

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David J. Sullivan, MHS PA-C
Associate Faculty at Jefferson College of Health Sciences
Research Assistant at Carilion Clinic

Was a Paramedic in NC for 20+ years including time as a training officer, flight paramedic and director of a regional transport service.

Graduated from JCHS PA program in 2002
has been working at Carilion Clinic 12 years in Cardiac Surgery and Cardiology departments.
WORKSHOP: Advanced EKGs
November 7, 2021, 10:00 am