Host: Bev Kimball, PA-C, DFAAPA

Guests: Elise Rojas (Mayo Clinic PA Program) and Amanda Gallagher (Augsburg University PA Program)

In this special episode of the MAPA Podcast, host Bev Kimball sits down with the inaugural recipients of the PA Student of the Year and PA Student Advocate of the Year awards. Second-year PA students Elise Rojas of the Mayo Clinic PA Program and Amanda Gallagher of Augsburg University share their paths into the profession, the experiences that shaped their leadership, and their passion for advocacy within the PA community.

Elise encourages fellow PA students to seek out mentors and take initiative, emphasizing that many opportunities begin simply by asking to get involved. Amanda reflects on the value of saying “yes” to opportunities that fit your capacity, noting that even small roles can grow into meaningful advocacy work.

Host:

Bev Kimball, PA-C, DFAAPA

Guest:

Ella Wagner, PA-S, second-year PA Student, Mayo School of Health Sciences PA Program

Episode Summary

Join host Bev Kimball, PA-C, DFAAPA, and guest Ella Wagner, PA-S, as they explore PA education through the perspective of the PAEA Future Educator Fellowship. This Future Educator Fellowship is designed to enhance PA students' understanding of the components needed to be a successful PA educator.

Ella is a second-year student at the Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences and one of only 15 students nationwide selected to participate in the 2025/2026 Fellowship.

Ella shares insights into the application process and explains what inspired her to pursue this opportunity. She also discusses her passion for pediatrics and reflects on how her fellowship experiences have influenced her future career goals.

Find information on the Future Educator Fellowship here:

https://paeaonline.org/how-we-can-help/pa-students/future-educator-fellowship

Host:
Bev Kimball

Guests:
Alexis Myhre, PA-C Augsburg PA Program graduate and current Augsburg Graduate Fellow. Alexis recently began her career with Minnesota Epilepsy Group.

Jenny Nyflot, PA-C ENT Physician Assistant at HealthPartners St. Paul Otolaryngology and former Augsburg Graduate Fellow.

Madie Vranyes, PA-C Emergency Department Fellow at Regions Hospital and former Augsburg Graduate Fellow.

Episode Summary:
In this episode of the MAPA Podcast, host Bev Kimball welcomes three recent graduates from the Augsburg PA Program, Alexis Myhre, Jenny Nyflot, and Madie Vranyes, to discuss the Augsburg Graduate Fellowship Program.

The fellowship offers recent PA graduates a unique opportunity to mentor students, support PA faculty, and strengthen their teaching and leadership skills during the transition from graduation to clinical practice. Through tutoring, grading clinical work, leading skills labs, and participating in curriculum development, fellows stay connected to the classroom while beginning their careers as practicing PAs.

The guests share what motivated them to pursue the fellowship, how it shaped their early careers, and the powerful moments that come from helping students experience those “lightbulb” learning moments.

They also reflect on the value of mentorship, the importance of giving back to the PA profession, and how programs like this can strengthen the future of PA education.

In the inaugural episode of PA Pulse with MAPA, hosts Joe Frye and Faith Dammann Schlicht, PA-C, introduce listeners to MAPA’s new quarterly podcast designed to keep Minnesota PAs informed, engaged, and connected.

Faith shares her background as a practicing PA in Minnesota and MAPA Social Media Marketing Committee member, and together they outline what listeners can expect from the podcast, timely updates, advocacy news, upcoming events, and ways to get involved.

The episode dives into PA Day on the Hill (March 3), with Faith walking listeners through what the day looks like, why advocacy matters, and how approachable the experience is, even for first-timers. They also discuss a planned post-event meetup at The Gnome in St. Paul.

Next, Joe and Faith break down federal student loan caps and how recent classification changes could impact PA students nationwide, emphasizing the importance of collective advocacy and speaking up through AAPA and legislators.

The conversation continues with key student-focused opportunities, including:

• MAPA Student Scholarship applications opening February 1
• The inaugural MAPA Student & New Grad Summit on February 28, a free, full-day event packed with education, advocacy, networking, and career development

The episode also introduces a fun and educational recurring segment, PA Puzzler, featuring a clinical trivia question. The show wraps with a message from MAPA President Hayden Middleton. PA-C.

Host: Josh Loew, PA-C, MPAS

Guests: Ashley Vitale, DHSc, PA-C, CPAAPA and Natalie Trueman, PA-C

In this special episode of the MAPA Podcast, host Josh Loew, PA-C sits down with Ashley Vitale, DHSc, PA-C, CPAAPA, recipient of MAPA’s 2025 Preceptor of the Year Award. Ashley shares her journey as a surgical PA with Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato and reflects on nearly two decades of mentoring PA students.
The conversation explores why precepting is essential to the future of the PA profession, how mentoring students has shaped Ashley’s own clinical practice, and what makes a truly great preceptor. Ashley offers candid insights into surgical education, adaptability in clinical training, and the powerful two-way relationship between students and preceptors.

Josh also speaks with Natalie Trueman, PA-C, MAPA’s 2025 PA of the Year, to discuss her journey into hospital medicine, what meaningful patient care looks like in practice, and how recognition can help sustain clinicians through burnout.
Natalie reflects on her path to becoming a PA, her role as a hospitalist at Regions Hospital and Methodist Hospital, and the privilege of caring for patients from all walks of life. She shares powerful insights on goals-of-care conversations, end-of-life decision making, mentorship, and the importance of honoring patient dignity.

In this episode of MAPA’s Podcast Collection, host Josh Loew, PA-C sits down with retired PA Robert Carlson, PA-C (Health Partners Center for International Health, Health Partners Infectious Disease Clinic, Ramsey County Public Health) and certified medical interpreter Mitzi Vasquez, CMI for an insightful conversation about working effectively with medical interpreters.

Rob shares more than two decades of clinical experience serving refugee and immigrant communities in Minnesota, while Mitzi brings the perspective of a first-generation Mexican-American who has been interpreting, first informally, then professionally, for most of her life.

Together, they explore the essential role interpreters play in patient care, the legal responsibilities involved, best practices for clinicians, and the challenges of both in-person and remote interpreting. This episode is filled with practical advice, personal stories, and guidance for providers wanting to improve communication, cultural competency, and patient outcomes.

Host: Josh Loew, PA-C, MPAS
Guest: Becky Ness, PA-C

In this episode of the MAPA Podcast, host Josh Loew sits down with Becky Ness, PA-C, to unpack the details and impact of Minnesota’s 2080 Hour Rule, an important part of PA legislation that shapes how Physician Assistants practice across the state.

Together, they explore:

• The purpose and history behind the 2080 Hour Rule
• The difference between a collaborative agreement and a practice agreement
• The recent legislative changes affecting PA practice in Minnesota
• How MAPA’s advocacy efforts including grassroots engagement, PA Day on the Hill, and legislative partnerships helped bring these changes to life
• Ways that Minnesota PAs can get involved to continue supporting MAPA’s mission and future legislative wins

Whether you’re a practicing PA, a student, or simply interested in how state-level legislation influences the profession, this episode provides valuable insight into how collaboration, advocacy, and leadership continue to advance PA practice in Minnesota.

Host: Faith Schlicht, PA-C

Guest: Katarina Astrup, MSPAS, PA-C

Faith Schlicht, PA-C and Katarina Astrup, MSPAS, PA-C are back with the Money Series for PAs and medical professionals, this time answering real financial questions from PA students and new grads. Faith, a cardiology PA, teams up with Kat Astrup, creator of PA the FI Way, to share practical tips for budgeting during PA school and launching your career with confidence.

Learn how to stretch your student budget, negotiate your first salary, and make the most of your benefits as a new grad. Whether you’re pre-PA, in school, or starting your first job, this episode will help you build a strong financial foundation and work toward financial independence.

Resources Mentioned:

PA the FI Way Podcast – Financial independence tips for PAs

PA Money Sense Budget Guide (AAPA)

Budgeting Apps: YNAB, Monarch, EveryDollar

Student Loan Help:

https://studentloanadvice.com/partner/pa-the-fi-way/
https://www.studentloanplanner.com/