Physician Assistants Help our Hospitals Provide Consistent, High-Quality Care

Physician assistants have been part of the staff of our healthcare system since the 1960s. At Shriners Children’s Philadelphia, these medical professionals play a vital role in the care we provide to patients.

What is a PA?

Physician assistants, or PAs, are licensed by the state or credentialed by a federal employer to practice medicine under the supervision of a physician. They can practice somewhat autonomously or in a collaborative relationship with other members of a patient’s healthcare team, depending on the laws of the state where they are practicing. Since 2010, PAs have been recognized as primary care providers, along with nurse practitioners and physicians.

At Shriners Children's Philadelphia, you will find PAs working with attending surgeons at our outpatient clinics.

Their work includes:

• Evaluating new and established patients
• Assessing patients before their operations
• Performing physical examinations
• Taking patient histories before admission
• Applying casts
• Ordering X-rays and other tests
• Planning patients’ care
• Educating patients and their families

In addition to seeing patients, PAs at the Philadelphia Shriners Hospital attend educational lectures, conduct research projects, and serve as the first assistant to an attending surgeon in the operating room.

Meet our PAs

We are lucky to have three certified PAs – Alyssa Kearney, Casey Koodray and Emily Stankoski – as part of our collaborative team.

“I fell in love with medicine and went back to school to earn my Master of Medical Science.” Emily Stankoski, PA-C., also found her calling as a PA. “I wanted to have a more integral role in diagnostic evaluations and treatment planning,” said Stankoski. “I went back to school after receiving my undergraduate degree in neuroscience.”

All the PAs at Shriners Children's Philadelphia love being part of a team where they provide care, regardless of the families' ability to pay. "I enjoy being a physician assistant because I provide quality care as part of a collaborative team," Alyssa said.

Casey believes that PAs are vital team members who provide the most amazing care anywhere. "I love being a physician assistant because it allows me to be a part of a team that helps serve all patient populations with quality care," she said.