The recipient of the $2,000 Montag Military Service Scholarship for 2011 is Dustin Bates of the Bethel PA Program. Dustin grew up as an Air Force military brat and has had the desire to pursue a medical career since early in high school. Dustin is currently on active duty reserve as a second lieutenant for the U.S. Air Force and will assume full active duty once he graduates in May 2013. Dustin received his BS in Biology from the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga prior to entering Bethel’s Physician Assistant program.

Tamara Amendt received the $1,000 Neil and Pat Kilpatrick Memorial Scholarship. Tamara comes to the Bethel program from Wisconsin where she worked as a paramedic. Family and community are important to Tamara and once she graduates in 2013, she plans to provide care and education to patients in a rural community. She also hopes to give back to the PA profession by teaching/mentoring other students of the health professions. Tamara received her A.A.S.-EMS-Paramedic from Century College and her BS in Biology from the University of Wisconsin in River Falls.

Through the previous year’s donations, we were able to award four other $500 Neil and Pat Kilpatrick Memorial Scholarships this year. The first award went to Dan Nichols of the Trevecca 2013 class. Dan previously worked as a certified athletic trainer for the seven years prior to entering Trevecca’s program. He is also the class SAAPA House representative and plans on staying active in the AAPA House of Delegates once he’s graduated. Dan has a BA in Athletic Training from St. Ambrose University and MS in Exercise Science from Middle Tennessee State University.

Alan Motush of the Bethel 2013 Class also received a $500 award. Alan desires to become a Physician Assistant and work as a PA hospitalist due to his “special passion” for internal medicine. He credits his mother who changed careers when he was 10 years old to become a registered nurse as his inspiration to serve others in healthcare. His other driving force is his four-year-old son, Trenton, to whom Alan wants to be a role model.

Alan received his biology BS from Arizona State University and has worked with Habitat for Humanity in the past.

Kathryn Campbell of the 2013 Lincoln Memorial University PA program cites her small town upbringing and attending college in rural Appalachia as the foundation of her desire to graduate and practice in rural Tennessee to provide access to care and promote health through education to those in the most vulnerable populations in rural Tennessee.

Kathryn holds a BS from Ohio University and an EMT-B certification. Kathryn also was awarded the $500 Neil and Pat Kilpatrick Memorial Scholarship.

Emily Kopek of the South College 2011 Class and currently in clinical rotations received the final $500 Scholarship due to her leadership qualities, activity participation and outstanding achievements in her program. Emily holds ACE certification as a personal trainer, graduated from William and Mary with a BS and the University of Tennessee with an MS prior to entering South College’s PA Program where she has maintained a stellar GPA and the acclamations of her teaching faculty and preceptors.

Emily’s own personal experience with the healthcare field at a young age built her desire to “make a difference in people’s lives just like my doctor did in mine”. She hopes to practice in internal medicine once graduated and emphasize preventative health to her patients.

The Foundation committee would like to thank everyone else who also took the time to apply this year. We wish we had enough funding to award everyone as all the candidates this year had exemplary achievements and qualifications.

Once again decisions were made on reviewing and evaluating past achievements, current program activities and leadership involvement, GPA, future goals and perceived financial need.

We would also like to thank everyone who has generously given in the past year and those who participated in the fundraising events at Fallfest. The Foundation will only fulfill its mission to assist deserving physician assistant students if PAs like you determine to give something yearly to the Foundation.

Don’t forget the Foundation is a 501(c)3 charity, and you may be able to deduct your donation from taxes—so please consider a donation before year’s end.

Make checks payable to Tennessee Physician Assistant Foundation, and mail them to PO Box 59, Bradyville, TN 37026. Thank you in advance for your generous support of the Foundation.