Here at Augsburg University’s PA Program, our students depend on the assistance of all the generosity and tutelage of the healthcare professionals around the area. Over the years we have had countless preceptors dedicate their time, their knowledge, and skills to shape the course of our students learning. We are grateful for every single preceptor showing our students how to be outstanding providers that will go above and beyond to treat each patient with a holistic approach.

Each year we ask the graduating cohort to give us their feedback and nominate someone who had a particularly strong impact on their rotations. Many students reached out with stories about the preceptors who took the time to give one-on-one instruction, the ones who explained their logic and process of making clinical decisions, and the ones that encouraged students to step in and assist with procedures and appointments as an integrated team member. This year was no different and we were blown away by all the positive reviews of our clinical educators. The cohort came together and voted on one specific team

The Augsburg PA Program was proud to celebrate our Preceptors of the Year during graduation this past Friday! Dr. Austin Zeng, & Karalee LaBreche, CNP. Working together as a part of Allina Health’s Behavioral Health Team at Abbott Northwestern Hospital, Zeng & LaBreche have been supporting our students for the past 5 years in numerous rotations. They have helped guide our students in learning necessary clinical skills to provide patients with a more holistic and compassionate approach to healthcare. Our students have nominated and selected the both of them for this award for their dedication to foster a respectful, welcoming learning environment and for guiding each student as if they were a part of their own team. We are grateful for their hard work and commitment to shaping our students into exceptional healthcare providers.

Augsburg University has another preceptor to highlight as a part of our spotlight series where we highlight the wonderful mentors our students have gotten the opportunity to work with as they prepare for their future careers as healthcare professionals.

This month we are highlighting Amy Gerlach, PA-C who works with M Health Fairview.

Tell us a little about your practice/specialty. What made you choose the path you did?

Family medicine-I started in pediatrics but due to life circumstance changed to family medicine. I have stayed in family medicine because I enjoy the relationships with patients.

What has your journey into medicine been like?

I graduated from A.T. Still University. I practiced in Arizona for about 3.5 years before moving home to MN.

Any tips for students transitioning from medical training to their careers?

Take some time to explore new hobbies. It is easy to stay busy in a career but boundaries are important.

How long have you been a preceptor? Why did you decide to precept?

I have been a preceptor for about 12 years. I had several great preceptors and wanted to give back.

If you were not a medical provider, what career could you see yourself doing?

I would be a social worker.

What activities do you enjoy in your spare time?

Reading, traveling and spending time with my family.

Thank you to Amy and our other preceptors who have given their time to show our students the ins-and-outs of healthcare.

If you are interested in the spotlight email us at clinicalphase@augsburg.edu.

Augsburg’s PA Program has another outstanding mentor to showcase as a part of our Preceptor Highlight series! This month we are focusing on Joseph Mahoney, MD, one of the recipients of our “Preceptor of the Year” award. He works at North Memorial here in the Twin Cities with pediatrics. When asked, he said he was “Blessed to take care of children.”

What has your journey into medicine been like?

Amazing. Over the last 25 years, I am so proud to see open conversations happening within families and each family member contributing. Love to watch the balance of giving children firm boundaries but also teaching them independence.

Any tips for students transitioning from medical training to their careers?

Always remember why you went into medicine. It can be easily forgotten.

How long have you been a preceptor? Why did you decide to precept?

25 years.

If you were not a medical provider, what career could you see yourself doing?

Teacher.

What activities do you enjoy in your spare time?

Running, doing puzzles, spending time outdoors, and reading.

We appreciate getting the chance to highlight our preceptors and are so grateful to acknowledge all of the hard work and effort that goes into teaching our students to be the best providers they can.

Augsburg’s PA Program wants to acknowledge all of the hard work and effort that goes into ensuring our students get the right education and preparation as they go into healthcare. We are selecting one preceptor at a time to highlight a little bit about them and showcase the talent and dedication of those who have helped shape our student’s future careers.

Our first preceptor is Megan Otis, DO, MPH, HDMC.

Tell us a little about your practice/specialty. What made you choose the path you did?

I am a family practice physician that focuses on wellness, food and movement as your medicine. I continue to practice Osteopathic Manipulative therapy on a day-to-day basis for musculoskeletal care, as structure equals function. I am also the medical director for a hospice agency in the area. I grew up with chiropractic care as the main source of healthcare as a child and feel in love with the deep connection with structure and function and nutrition as building grounds for wellness.

What has your journey into medicine been like?

I started out in biochemistry and genetics and knew I was not lab material. So I turned my focus to people. I grew up with a chiropractor as my primary medical provider and so knew a lot about structure and nutrition. I knew I wanted to do something like that and was introduced to Osteopathy by fellow students that tried to convince me not to do chiro degree and medical school, and thankfully they did.

Any tips for students transitioning from medical training to their careers?

Keep your dreams in your heart and trust the process of life. It will take you to your dreams. Never stop being curious.

How long have you been a preceptor? Why did you decide to precept?

11 years. Doctor means teacher and I love to expand the knowledge base and challenge the thinker with additional views so that they have a great view of the world than just what is on the test. I hope to constantly challenge students to think outside the box.

If you were not a medical provider, what career could you see yourself doing?

Stay at home mom with a side career in crossfit or personal training

What activities do you enjoy in your spare time?

Crossfit, weight training, mountain biking, skiing water and snow, travel, child rearing, pets, reading about nutrition and functional medicine.

Dr. Megan Otis precepts Augsburg PA students in Family Medicine rotations at Stellis Health Monticello Clinic.

In 2021, the Augsburg PA Program launched a fellowship to provide recent graduates with opportunities for professional growth in education. Each year, the program selects graduates to train alongside faculty and develop skills as future preceptors and teachers. Fellows are encouraged to begin their journey as educators by mentoring current cohorts and offering fresh perspectives to faculty.

We are proud to introduce our 2024-2025 fellows for the Augsburg University PA Program! Jenny Nyflot and Madie Vranyes are two recent graduates of our program, having completed their clinical rotations earlier this Fall. Jenny recently finished her last elective in Pediatrics and is excited to work with our students.

Madie is drawn to working with students from her experiences throughout her academic career and has ways to help break down challenging material into understandable parts. We’re hoping she can bring some new insight into advising, tutoring, and more. She intends to become a preceptor down the road and continue contributing to PA education and notes:

After this fellowship, she plans on working at Regions as part of the emergency medicine fellowship she was also granted.

We are excited to have them join us for the Fall and look forward to having them help shape the future of education for our PAs.

Another year and another exciting conference for our students here at Augsburg! This year the AAPA conference was held in the grand state of Texas this past month. Student Society members Rachelle Pass and Hana Nguyen attended, gathering valuable insights and knowledge to share with their classmates.

The week-long conference provided  many learning and networking opportunities for professionals and PA students alike. From PA Night Out, where attendees got a taste of Texas BBQ, to conferences and main-stage presentations about Space Medicine, Rachelle and Hana gathered takeaways for their cohort. The information on space medicine highlighted many  issues that wouldn’t be considered when practicing within the confines of gravity – including the corneal abrasion risk of Pop Tarts! They also discussed how considering different supplies and storage practices for different locations and environments can play a role in any medical situation.

Space wasn’t the only harsh condition attendees had to consider, our students learned the realities of increasingly dangerous weather conditions that can lead to power outages, personnel shortages, injuries, and more, and how to tackle those as a provider in areas at risk of weather events (including the host city of AAPA which had a severe weather event the night before the conference).

Final takeaways included how to network in unlikely places, how to advocate for the profession, and how to search for a job as a student. Learning how to sort options into “Must Haves” “Deal Breakers” “Nice to Haves” and “Exciting & Skill Building” categories for new applicants can take a lot of pressure off the choices for your first PA career. Additionally, learning how to navigate legislation to advocate for yourself and your peers as fellow healthcare providers is an invaluable skill for new and experienced PAs. An advocacy success was the recent approval of both the PA Licensure Compact, and the PA Practice Act, which aim to expand license portability across states and enhance the reach of PAs as providers for mental health, respectively.

We’re happy to have our student representatives able to show up for themselves and their classmates with these insights!

Augsburg University is excited to welcome some new adjunct instructors to our PA Program’s faculty. Each of these new members will provide a fresh perspective on teaching students and help further drive the Augsburg mission of serving the underserved within our strong communities.

Let’s learn a little more about each person joining the team:

Alannah Zheng, MSPA, PA-C (Adjunct Instructor)

Alannah received her BS in Biology and BA in Spanish from Northwestern College in St. Paul in 2014 and her MSPA from Bethel University in 2017.

Alannah has over 5 years of experience in sexual and reproductive health and family medicine. She is passionate about the PA profession and serves as a Director-at-Large for the Minnesota Academy of PAs. She recently finished courseworkd to become a Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC) and is working towards becoming an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). She is very much looking forward to her first adjunct role at Augsburg!

Alannah loves teaching and learning and would tell you that she is interested in everything! Outside of work, Alannah loves to cook, bake gluten-free recipes, crochet, work with her husband in the family restaurant, and spend time with her cats, Calliope and Copernicus, and chihuahua, Ruby.

Megan Johnson, PA-C (Adjunct Instructor)

Megan received her undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and her Masters in Physician Assistant Studies from the University of Iowa in 2010. She has served in many roles in the fields of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Gynecologic Oncology at the University of Chicago, the Mayo Clinic and her current outpatient practice in the Twin Cities. She was appointed Academic Instructor by the Mayo Clinic and published original research in the Obstetrics & Gynecology green journal.

Megan has a deep-seated passion for Women’s Health and specializes in surgical management. In her free time, she enjoys spending time at the lake alongside her husband and 3 children.

Marah Czaja, PA-C (Adjunct Instructor)

Marah is a family medicine trained and board certified Physician Assistant with an interest in addiction medicine. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and Spanish from Berea College in Berea, Kentucky in 2012 and a Master of Physician Assistant Studies degree from Elon University in Elon, North Carolina in 2016. Marah has nearly 7 years of experience working in community health centers with a focus on primary care and addiction medicine in underserved communities. She has a deep passion for supporting folks in their journey of recovery from substance use.

Marah is committed to provide high-quality, trauma informed, patient centered care. She believes that patients are the experts of their body and mind, and her role is to provide therapeutic education, knowledge, and options for healthcare. She is very excited to be a part of the Augsburg team and help train future leaders in healthcare.

In her free time, Marah enjoys spending time with her dog, cats, and chickens, hiking and exploring new state and national parks, kayaking, spending time with family and chosen family, and reading a good book!

Brittany Strelow, PA-C, DMSc (Adjunct Instructor)

Brittany received her BS in Kinesiology from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities in 2008, her MS in Physician Assistant Studies from Pace University in New York, NY in 2011, and her DMSc from University of Lynchburg, VA in 2021.

Brittany has been a PA since 2011 with clinical practice in hematology, family medicine, and internal medicine. She has published peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, abstracts, posters, and presented locally, nationally, and internationally. She has received POCN Top PA: Internal Medicine as well as Minnesota Academy of Physician Assistants (MAPA) Preceptor/Mentor of the Year.

She is active with leadership in both state and national PA chapters, but in her free time, she is a mom to two kiddos and has a loveable chocolate lab. Her hobbies include scrapbooking and cake decorating, and she also has been an avid volunteer for the American Cancer Society.

Kelsey Reif, PA-C (Adjunct Instructor)

Kelsey Reif is originally from Minnesota. She attended Xavier University in Cincinnati, OH and received her undergraduate degree in biology and chemistry. She then went on to Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI and graduated in 2016 with her master’s in Physician Assistant Studies, returning home to MN to practice.

Kelsey started working September of 2016 as a surgical PA, focusing on general and colorectal surgery. She has a particular interest in robotic surgery and assists in these cases frequently. She also spends her time managing patients in the hospital as well as seeing patients in the outpatient clinic setting.

Kelsey has been a leader for PA students since working at HealthPartners. She overseees the PA students during their rotation with general surgery and has very much enjoyed giving back as an educator. This has now evolved into joining the Advance Practice Clinician Advisory Board as champion for advanced practice provider students at Regions. She has further advanced her education career as an adjunct faculty member with Augsburg’s PA Program.

In her spare time, Kelsey enjoys spending time with her husband and two kids. She also enjoys being active with biking and running, spending time outdoors, traveling, cooking, experiencing new restaurants, and attending live music events.

Augsburg can count it’s lucky stars to have an in-house epidemiologist in Dr. Alicia Quella (right), the Director of the PA Program. Along with Dr. Katie Clark (left), Executive Director of Health Commons and Nursing Associate Professor, Dr. Alicia Quella has been working to provide COVID-19 vaccines to Augsburg students, faculty and staff through the People’s Center. Recently, Dr. Quella was interviewed for Augsburg Now, our university’s semi-annual publication and blog. Find out how Dr. Quella has sought to keep Augsburg safe in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic at Augsburg Now.