Physician Assistant of the Year Call for Nominations

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2008 PA of the Year Award. This award honors a physician assistant who has demonstrated exemplary service to the PA profession and the community and has furthered the image of physician assistants. The award is administered by the Awards Committee, which consists of six members, who are all past PA of the Year Award recipients with the immediate past recipient serving as chair. Members of this year's committee are: Martha Green (chair), Lisa Sand (2006 recipient), Cecilia Cannon (2005 recipient), Becky Miller (2004 recipient), Kirk Heinold (2003 recipient), and Keith Stewart (2001 recipient).

Any SCAPA member may submit a nomination. Nomination materials should include a written rationale or biographical abstract detailing how the nominee meets the award’s criteria and why he/she is deserving of the award. The potential recipient must be a Fellow member of SCAPA in good standing for a minimum of five years with SCAPA, BME, and NCCPA and whose contributions span the entire career of the individual. 

Characteristics by which nominees will be judged and that should be addressed in the nomination process include but are not limited to:

• Evidence of recognition by all segments of the PA profession and by others – Is this person well-known by the PA profession and well recognized by PAs of different generations? Is this someone for whom there is “clear evidence” of his/her commitment to the PA profession and to SCAPA? Is it someone whom everyone reveres? What awards and forms of recognition has this person received during his/her career?
• Evidence of commitment to the PA profession – How has this person demonstrated long-term commitment to the PA profession and to SCAPA over many years of practice and experience? Has this person spent time outside of clinical practice to promote the PA profession?
• Evidence of championing the PA cause – How has this person promoted the PA profession? How has this person supported the PA profession and SCAPA? How has this person pushed for the innovative use of PAs and championed the utilization of PAs?
• Evidence of time spent educating and influencing others in support of the PA profession – Has this person lobbied for the PA profession legislatively or before individuals or groups that can impact the PA profession? How has this person taken the PA message to others?
• Evidence of outreach to individual PAs and PA students – How has this person reached out to individual members of SCAPA? How has this person worked with individual PAs within his/her practice? Has this individual mentored PA students, taught courses at CME event or PA programs, etc?
• Demonstrated speaking and/or writing skills – What writings has this person published on the PA profession? What speaking engagements has this person done in support of the PA profession or SCAPA?

In addition to a crystal award and a contribution in the recipient’s name to the Elizabeth Gouge Scholarship Fund, the recipient receives registration for SCAPA's Fall CME Conference, one night’s lodging associated with attending the award presentation at the conference, and complimentary tickets for family members to attend the function at which the award is presented.

Nomations for the 2008 Award must be submitted by August 15, 2008. Please use the following format to submit your nomination.

(1) Provide the name, address, work and home phone nunbers for the person you wish to nominate.

(2) Is this PA a current SCAPA member?

(3) How many years of service has this PA given to SCAPA?

(4) How is the PA known to the profession?

(5) How has the PA shown commitment to the profession?

(6) What has the PA done to champion the cause of the profession?

(7) What has the PA done to educate and influence the support of physician assistants?

(8) What has the PA done to reach out to SCAPA members (i.e. mentoring students, taught courses at CME events or PA programs, etc)?

(9) What has the PA done to demonstrate speaking or writing skills?

(10) Provide your name and phone number and give the date the nomination is submitted.

Your nomination should be submitted to the SCAPA office by August 15 as follows:

By mail to:  SCAPA, PO Box 2054, Lexington, SC 29071

By email to: scapa@sc.rr.com

By fax to:   803-356-6826.