Skip to main content

U of U Global Health Community Welcomes PAs for Global Health

NEWS PAs for Global Health 2

The PAs for Global Health Annual Conference was held in Salt Lake City at the University of Utah, sponsored by the Physician Assistant Division and DFPM on February 16-17, 2024.

Jennie Coombs PhD, PA and Kathy Pedersen MPAS, PA facilitated the conference with the PAs for Global Health (PAGH) board.

PAGH was delighted to bring the in-person and hybrid conference eligible for 10 CME credits to Utah. PAGH is an interest group of the American Academy of PAs. Presentations on global health issues ranged from the PA role in Puerto Rico, health care in austere environments, infectious disease, disaster management, initiation of emergency medicine in India and many more, from local physician and PA presenters, and those involved nationally in global health.

UU PA program grads or faculty who presented were: Charity Christensen, Shaun Curran, Nicole Curran, Fernando Rivero, Laura Juarez, Don Pedersen, Kathy Pedersen, Jennie Coombs, Bob Toth, and Nicole Fox. The event included social and networking events for the participants. The board attended the exhilarating pre-event, the DFPM Global Health Fundraiser at Cosm on February 15, 2024.

Attendees came from around the country, including PAGH PA board members; Mirela Bruza-Augatis, Lyndsey Milcarek, Mary Showstark, Patricie Stephens, Arcadia Trvalik, and University of Utah PA student, Melissa Spencer.

Don Pedersen’s paintings adorned the conference room and he generously made his prints available to the attendees. John Rogers generously assisted with his IT skills, and lent us his warm and winsome personality. PAGH appreciated the support of PA Division faculty, Leigh Elrod, Jared Spackman, Richard Backman, and Shaun Curran. Staff Bethany Perkes, Mayumi Kasai, Melissa Husebye, Leslie Cepeda, and Doris Dalton helped to make this a successful event.