L-r, Physician Assistant Studies students Michael Listro, Irvin Cespedes, Jonathan Lehn and Noah Newlon recently lobbied legislators in the New York state assembly on a pending bill.By David DeFusco
Noah Newlon, a student in the Katz School鈥檚 M.S. in Physician Assistant Studies, remembers accompanying his younger brother to doctors鈥 appointments and hospital visits when they were growing up in Cleveland. Noah鈥檚 brother Rowen, born with aortic valve stenosis, a condition that obstructs the flow of blood throughout the body, spent much of his childhood under medical observation鈥攁n experience that had a profound impact on Noah鈥檚 life.
鈥淚 always wanted to practice medicine somehow, but now I鈥檓 a big cardiology guy,鈥 said Noah. 鈥淗e and I are really, really close, and I consider myself very lucky to have him in my life.鈥
That love for his brother is also the reason Noah joined three classmates鈥擨rvin Cespedes, Jonathan Lehn and Michael Listro鈥攊n lobbying the New York state legislature as part of a delegation organized by the New York State Society of PAs (NYSSPA) for a bill that would make permanent a state executive order that has allowed physician assistants (P.A.) to practice without a supervising physician since 2020. That order was set to expire in May.
In an aging population, a shortage of doctors has created a demand for care providers like P.A.s who can examine and treat patients, make diagnoses and write prescriptions. They complete thousands of hours of medical training and practice nationwide, improving patient access to high-quality health care鈥痠n medical and surgical settings. Under current New York state law, P.A.s must practice under a physician鈥檚 supervision and are licensed by state boards of medicine.
Jonathan Lehn said the current legislation pending in Albany requires supervision of P.A.s to be continuous, but it doesn鈥檛 have to be on site. If P.A.s are working in an emergency room, they don鈥檛 always work with the physician they鈥檙e assigned. They work with whomever is there and as a team.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just an administrative burden,鈥 said Lehn, who plans to use his Spanish to help underserved communities when he graduates. 鈥淪ince the beginning of COVID, P.A.s have practically been working by themselves because of staffing shortages and attrition, and we came through for our patients.鈥
After graduating from Hunter College, Lehn took a gap year and was a clinical research coordinator at NYU Langone Health, working for a doctor who spoke highly of Fayrose Abodeshisha, a Katz School P.A. industry professor. He also knew Dwayne Williams, another P.A. industry professor, by word of mouth. Williams鈥 Pance Prep Pearls medical study and review guide is widely used by students aspiring to join the profession.
Of the 20-odd P.A. programs in the area, the Katz School鈥檚 faculty reputation was a big seller for Lehn. Like his classmates, Cespedes has always been interested in science and engineering and thought of being a doctor, but he chose to become a P.A. because it would provide more interaction with patients and offers a variety of specialties, including ophthalmology which is his first choice.
The Katz School program鈥檚 core clinical rotations include family medicine, primary care, internal medicine, general surgery, emergency medicine, women鈥檚 health, pediatrics and behavioral health. Clinical electives cover a wide variety of medical and surgical specialties. Cespedes said advocating on behalf of the profession made it clear to him that being involved in politics is necessary because it dictates the conditions in which he and his classmates will work for their entire career.
鈥淚t was vital to have as many people as possible on lobbying day, because it demonstrated to the politicians that this is an important matter and that young people were watching,鈥 he said.
In high school, Michael Listro shadowed a P.A., who is a family friend, at Priority Urgent Care in Connecticut where he eventually got a job as a medical assistant.
鈥淚 just kind of fell in love with P.A. on the spot,鈥 said Listro. 鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 be luckier.鈥
Listro likes that he鈥檚 getting a general medical education at the Katz School that will enable him to treat a variety of patients and to make referrals, if necessary, to a specialist.
鈥淚t's kind of like a team sport,鈥 he said. 鈥淵ou're interacting with a number of healthcare professionals on a daily basis trying to help someone鈥檚 situation get better. It's corny to say, but I want to help people. There are people who need us to look out for them, to take care of them, because not everybody is fortunate to have good health.鈥
