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Emory Physician Assistant Class of 2009 Runs for Grady


WEBWIRE

The Emory University Physician Assistant Class of 2009 will be hosting the 7th Annual Physician Assistant’s Care to Share 5K Fun Run at Lullwater Park on April 12. The goal is to raise $20,000 to benefit three local charities: The Good Samaritan Health Center, the South Georgia Farm worker Health Project and the Henry W. Grady Health System Foundation.

Location: Emory University Lullwater Park, 1463 Clifton Rd., Atlanta

Date: Saturday, April 12, 2008

Time: Day-of Registration 8 a.m., 5K Run 9 a.m., Kids 1 Mile Run 10 a.m.

Cost: $20 adult ($25 day of race registration), $12 for kids 12 and under

Pre-registration and/or donations can be made at: http://www.active.com/page/Event_Details.htm?event_id=1532829

A portion of The Fun Run funds will benefit the Henry W. Grady Health System Foundation that is a nonprofit organization that leverages private resources to support the Grady Health System. Grady Hospital is the only level I trauma center in the region, the ambulance provider for the city of Atlanta, home to Georgia’s only poison center, the only 24 hour sickle cell center and one of the nation’s largest burn units. Grady is a vital resource of clinical rotations for PA and medical students.

A portion of the funds will go to the Good Samaritan Health Center. “Good Sam” is an indigent care clinic with three locations in the Atlanta area. This nonprofit clinic offers medical, counseling, social, and dental services to the local homeless and working poor. In 2004, Good Sam saw 17,500 patients -- 20 percent were homeless and an additional 70 percent were uninsured working poor. In 2006, only 23 percent of the operating budget was covered by patient fees.

This fundraiser will also support the South Georgia Farmworker Health Project. This project provides free health care to migrant and seasonal farm workers in the fields of Echols, Lowndes and Decatur counties of South Georgia.

The Emory PA Program is dedicated to training PA’s in primary care to serve the underserved. It is ranked third by U.S. News and World Report. See www.EmoryPA.org fro more information.

Editor’s Note:

Emory PA student supports US Track Team in Summer Olympics in Beijing

Second year Emory Physician Assistant student Harris Patel was selected from thousands of athletic trainers to join the team of physicians, athletic trainers, physical therapists, massage therapists and sports psychologists supporting the U.S. Olympic track and field athletes at the Summer Olympic games in Beijing, China.

Harris worked as an athletic trainer with the University of Georgia football team for several years prior to attending the Emory Physician Assistant program. He was selected to go with the U.S. track and field team to the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in the summer of 2007 as one of five athletic trainers.

“It is and honor to be selected” Harris said when he received the invitation letter. “I will represent the U.S. and Emory with pride”

Harris is currently in a one year of clinical rotations and will take time off to travel with the Olympic team. After graduation from Emory, Harris hopes to work with a physician providing primary care to a community in need.

Smart phones and PDAs help doctors and PAs reduce errors

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) estimates that there are at least 1.5 million preventable adverse drug reactions in the U.S. each year. According to the IOM, doctors, physician assistants and nurse practitioners can not keep up with the rapidly changing world of prescription drugs, herbal treatments and over the counter medications, and need accessible electronic information. A personal digital assistant (PDA) or a smart phone (cell phone-PDA combination) is just what clinicians need to help reduce these errors and keep up with the rapidly changing knowledge base of medicine.

Emory School of Medicine -- Physician Assistant Program faculty Allan Platt PA-C, MMSc, has written a clinician guide book titled Evidence Based Medicine for PDAs -- A Guide for Practice to help clinicians learn the hardware and software product available to help clinicians choose the best medication. There are excellent medical programs that inform clinicians of the latest evidence based treatment, highlight drug -- drug interactions and help clinicians review complications, costs and potential side effects.

“Help is just a click away on a smart phone with the right programs” according to Platt. The best device is the one you will keep next to you to do drug interaction look-ups and review the latest treatment options. Most clinicians keep their cell phone in their pocket and can use it to do quick look-ups between seeing patients. Clinicians can carry the equivalent of a library shelf of current searchable reference materials in the palm of their hand.

Emory PA students are required to have a laptop and PDA with medical programs that assist diagnosis, treatment, and medical error reduction. “We do many practice cases to learn how the equipment and software work together” according to Platt. “We even allow cell phone call breaks to do a quick PDA look-up for the best treatment of diagnostic plan.”



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