CHCS Perspectives Summer/Fall 2013

PERSPECTIVES • SUMMER-FALL 2013 – Page 39 D ave Kotun, Ed.D., PA-C, DFAAPA, who serves as associate professor and director of clinical education for PA programs, recently left the Col- lege of Health Care Sciences to become program director for the new University of South Florida Physician Assistant Program in Tampa. The inau- gural class is anticipated to start in the summer of 2015. Dr. Kotun was hired by the CHCS in January 2007 as the founding clinical director of the Orlando PA program and promoted to the position of director of clinical education in 2008. During his years at NSU, Dr. Kotun was an integral part of the College of Health Care Sciences’ PA programs, overseeing the clin- ical rotations and rotation-site sharing among the four PA programs. Prior to serving at NSU, Dr. Kotun, who is president elect of the Florida Academy of Physician Assistants, spent six years at the University of South Florida (USF) College of Medicine in the family medicine department teaching in the clinic and classroom. During his USF tenure, he taught physician assistant, nurse practitioner, clinical pharmacy, and medical students. On the military front, Dr. Kotun retired from the U.S. Air Force after 27 years of service, with his last position serving as a primary care flight commander. Dr. Kotun is dedicated to the physician assistant profession and will be greatly missed by all who had the pleasure of working with him at NSU’s College of Health Care Sciences. FOND FAREWELL TO DR. DAVE KOTUN Twenty minutes prior to the landing, the pilot required us to put the patient in her seat with the seatbelt on due to the extreme tur- bulence of the thunderstorms. In fact, it became so turbulent dur- ing our descent that several passengers began to vomit. When we landed, the pilot instructed all passengers to stay seated until we could remove the patient, which occurred when the trauma team boarded the plane and loaded the patient onto a backboard. I exited the plane with my patient and reported off to paramedics all of my recorded information. A few minutes later, I grabbed my girls to make the mad dash to our connecting flight. As we exited the plane, passengers clapped and made remarks such as “good save” and “good job.” The pilot and flight attendants were likewise gracious. The pilot thanked me over and over for keeping him out of the news that night. I told him, “I only kept one person alive— you kept all 160 of us alive.” Thankfully, I had been able to react and provide assistance to someone under difficult circumstances and with limited resources. The next leg of our trip was comparatively uneventful. Upon landing in Orlando, I had a text message from my patient’s hus- band, who stated she had been worked up and diagnosed with a pontine stroke. She was stable and resting at a stroke center in At- lanta. Thankfully, she continues to improve and somehow has no residual damage, which is remarkable for such a stroke. As I reflect on that night, I am reminded of a few realities I hope to impart to my new physician assistant students: There is NO substitute for knowing what you are doing. Professionalism, work ethic, skills, pleasant disposition, and a snazzy wardrobe are all nice attributes, but what you know matters most . Your tests in school will be hard because they are meant to match the clinical challenges you will face daily. Critical thinking is CRITICAL. No algorithm, diagnostic stud- ies, or second opinions from experts can replace looking at the patient . Your history and physical exam are the most important diagnostic tools. Develop and rely on them. Serving others is a privilege. Patients will seek assistance and trust you with every piece of private information. It is an honor to be able to contribute to their wellness, so treat them as if they are part of your own family.