2025 VAPA Summer Conference

Speakers
Sunday, July 20 to Thursday, July 24, 2025

Fred Wu

Urgent Care Tricks of the Trade: What the Textbooks Don't Teach You
July 21, 2025, 9:00 am

Christopher Wanka

Your patient died, now what?
July 21, 2025, 10:15 am

Kimberlee Ketchersid

Born in raised in Richmond, Kim completed her undergraduate education at the University of Virginia and gained clinical experience as an EMT and ER Tech. She proceeded to the Emory University PA Program and has practiced at Yale New Haven Health, a critical access hospital in southwest Virginia, and is currently at VCU Health where she splits her time between practicing clinically with Hospital Medicine and managing the APP Transition to Practice Program. Mom of 2, wife of a fellow PA, and avid runner - Kim is excited to join you all today!
Clearing the Air: The Role of PAs & NPs in Smoking Cessation Across Virginia
July 21, 2025, 11:15 am

Carleigh Conroy

Clearing the Air: The Role of PAs & NPs in Smoking Cessation Across Virginia
July 21, 2025, 11:15 am

Alicia Quella, PhD, PA-C

Alicia Quella is the Director of Communications and PA Relations at the NCCPA. She has served as a PA educator and has practiced in emergency medicine and primary care. She has served as an epidemiologist during the pandemic and has published research on the PA workforce, global health and issues affecting diversity in PA program admissions. Alicia earned her Masters of PA Studies degree and her doctoral degree in epidemiology from the University of Iowa.
Update from NCCPA: Focus on the PANRE/PANRE-LA
July 22, 2025, 8:00 am

Olushola Ilogho

Syncope in Practice: Clinical Scenarios and Management Strategies
July 22, 2025, 10:30 am

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.
Don't Hold Your Breath… It's Respiratory Season!
July 22, 2025, 11:30 am

David Munter, MD, MBA

David W. Munter, M.D., MBA, FACEP Dr. Munter retired as a Captain from the US Navy in 2004 after a distinguished career and is considered one of the founders of Emergency Medicine in the Navy. The training program he established produced five Physicians to the President, two admirals, a congressman and a Surgeon General. He then worked for 15 years as a partner with Emergency Physicians of Tidewater. Now in his third career, he has practiced addiction medicine, and now wound care and Hyperbaric Oxygen therapy. He has published or edited over 60 textbook chapters and books, was a member of the National Board of Medical Examiners, is a reviewer for several publications including Annals of Emergency Medicine, has garnered multiple awards and honors, and has given hundreds of presentations around the world on a variety of topics.
Managing Your Boss
July 22, 2025, 2:00 pm

Sam Basta

Value-Based Care: Opportunities and Risks for PAs
July 23, 2025, 7:30 am

Brad Laymon, PA-C, CPC, CEMC

Experienced Physician Assistant with over 23 years' experience in Urgent Care medicine. I am also a Certified Professional Coder and Certified Evaluation and Management Coder for the past 8 years. I contribute articles/coding challenges to Evidenced Based Urgent Care Medicine, College of Urgent Care Medicine and the Journal of Urgent Care Medicine. I present Coding Excellence to state PA conferences and other organizations. Member of Novant Health's Advanced Practice Providers Leadership team for the past 7 years.
The Top Coding and Documentation Mistakes and How to Fix Them
July 23, 2025, 8:30 am

Laura Tice

Atrial Fibrillation: Overview and Update
July 23, 2025, 9:30 am
EKG Interpretation Overview
July 23, 2025, 1:30 pm

Rachel Pruitt

Pregnancy considerations in Post-Bariatric Surgery Patients
July 23, 2025, 11:00 am

Kim Ford, OT-C lll

Kim Ford is currently the Orthopedic Technician Team Lead for Carilion Clinic Orthopedics. He has been with the Carilion Health System for 30 years and has been working with the Orthopedic Department for the past 20 years doing casting, splinting, and bracing.

He is currently over all of Carilion's Orthopedic Clinics and works with Jefferson College of Health Sciences and their Physician Assistant program providing a casting/splinting beginner course, and as as clinical instructor during the students' Orthopedic rotation. He is also very active in teaching casting and splinting classes for any interested Orthopedic practices.
WORKSHOP: 4 P's of Orthopedic Splinting
July 24, 2025, 8:00 am

Sam Dyer

WORKSHOP: MSK Joint and Soft Tissue Injections
July 24, 2025, 8:00 am

Ryan Strauss

WORKSHOP: Essential Suturing Skills
July 24, 2025, 10:00 am

Travis Kaufman, DMSc, PA-C

Travis Kaufman specializes in emergency medicine, global health, and strategic medical planning. He plays a crucial role advising and training NATO and partner nations globally on optimal medical practices, with a dedication to strengthening healthcare systems for improved outcomes and international cooperation. Additionally, PA Kaufman serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Lynchburg College of Medical Science, instructing the Emergency Management and Global Health program. Entering the U.S. Army in 2000 and graduating from the Interservice Physician Assistant Program (IPAP) in 2012, PA Kaufman has made significant contributions serving abroad during Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, Inherent Resolve, and European Assure Deter and Reinforce. Previously a White House Physician Assistant, he provided direct medical care to the highest levels of government officials, serving as the Senior Physician Assistant and Chief Medical Operations Officer for three Presidential administrations. In this role, he oversaw contingency medical planning for global Presidential and Vice-Presidential travel, successfully leading a team through 482 missions within the continental United States and 42 missions abroad. In July 2020, PA Kaufman earned a Doctor of Medical Science Degree (DMSc) in Emergency Medicine from the University of Lynchburg. His service has been recognized with prestigious awards, including the Presidential Service Badge and the Colorado Academy of Physician Associates Leader of the Year. Additionally, he completed the White House Tactical Medical Officer fellowship in 2017. Travis is married to his wife Jamie, and they have two children, Gabriella, and Gage.
WORKSHOP: Surviving the Wild: Essential Wilderness Medicine Skills for Extreme Environments
July 24, 2025, 10:00 am