‘Always fight for rural health’ — PA Student, award winner ready for career

By Ryan Clark
CHS Communications Director

Emily Goodman’s inspiration comes from her mother. That’s why she wants to fight for others, to make sure they receive the care they deserve.

One day she’ll be a PA serving in a rural area — and even before that, she’ll have an award to help her along the way.

In 2022, Associate Professor and Morehead Campus Site Director Shelley Irving, MSPAS, PA-C, was nominated and selected for the National Physician Assistant Foundation’s William H. Marquardt Community Health Access Fellowship, which aims to benefit PAs serving in, mentoring, and /or precipitating roles who are dedicated to promoting accessible primary and preventative health care amongst underserved populations.

Irving used her fellowship to create the annual UKPA Commitment to Rural Health Award, an honor reserved for UKPA Morehead campus students who demonstrate a commitment to rural health. It is eligible to students following the end of their didactic phase of training and includes a variable cash award given in their summer semester.

Last year’s recipient says she wants to be a PA because she wants to have a career, as well as have a family. And at the heart of it all, she wants to help her community.

But really, it all came down to the fight her mother made.

Meet 23-year-old Emily Goodman, now a third-year PA student from Grayson, Ky. We sat down with Emily to explore why she chose UK, what she expects out of her career, and why she wants to settle in a rural area to practice healthcare.

Here’s 5 questions with … Emily Goodman, PA-S:
 

1. Why did you choose UK?

I chose UK because it had the amenities and access to resources that I was looking for in an institution to continue my learning. UK has an accredited program that is within the top 20 in the nation. I knew of UK’s success with the type of field I wanted to be in as well as many people who spoke very highly of it. UK has the offering of the Morehead campus to get exposure to Rural health, smaller class size, one-on-one learning, and a connection to my background. The availability of resources closer to home allowed me to still live at home and spend the upmost time with my family as well as gain an incredible education. Oh and of course, almost everyone’s dream growing up in Kentucky is to become a Wildcat. GO CATS!

2. Why did you choose PA?

I chose PA because I knew I wanted to practice medicine and be a helpful member of the community and at the same time, I wanted a family. I wanted to have a career and be a mom and that is possible with all careers but for my goals and aspirations, PA was the best route. I will graduate and start working at age 24, I will be able to financially support myself and start paying on school loans at age 24, and I can potentially start a family shortly thereafter.

The track of PA allowed me to get the best of both worlds that was the right fit for me. On top of that, the flexibility in the workforce that the role of PA has is too incredible to pass up. I don’t have to choose a specific field, instead I could do multiple if I wanted. In addition, the profession is actively being advocated for, and the community of PAs is incredible. I know my strengths and I know my weaknesses and PA was a better fit for me in the long run.

3. Tell me about your award and what it means to you:

The award to me shows that there is dedication to rural health out there. In rural communities there are so many healthcare shortages that affects the population directly. It is widely known that providers don’t usually come to rural health communities due to a decreased pay. The cause-and-effect relationship here is by not having that salary you won’t get physicians, and without physicians you can’t have PAs, and by not having either it decreases the number of clinics, the amount of people who can receive healthcare and ultimately it can make healthcare among individuals worse.

According to the Kentucky physician report in 2022, 43 out of 120 counties in Kentucky are in an area of primary care physician shortage and only 25 percent work in rural areas compared to that of 75 percent in urban areas. With these numbers being what they are one could infer that rural healthcare needs a change. The shortage of numbers leads to health disparities in these areas, and I want to be able to address these and lessen them in any way I can.

One of the main reasons I am motivated to address health disparities is because of my mom. My mom was diagnosed with Leukemia in 2020 and two different breast cancers within the next two years. In other words, she had fought three different cancers in three different years. From what I have learned health disparities are preventable differences in the burden of disease. There were many times when my mom had to drive over two hours and advocate for herself to get testing done because she was being overlooked. It was no one’s fault, and no one is to blame for the outcome, but her last breast cancer diagnosis of Inflammatory Breast Cancer could have been identified earlier if there was a change in the system, a change to where patients are heard first, and cost is thought about second. There are other pillars that cause health disparities such as environment, education, behaviors, and access, and I ultimately want to be able to decrease these as much as I can to better rural areas, especially that of rural Kentucky.
 

4. What’s the best part about being in the PA program? 

This is such a hard question to be asked because there are so many great things. Throughout my time in the PA program, I have felt like I belonged. Of course, when you first go to a school that is new and away from your hometown you are nervous, but add like 100 times that for a master’s program that is extremely hard to get into. To say the least, I was terrified.

However, from my very first meeting with the staff members at the Morehead and Lexington campuses, I knew that this is where God wanted to me to be. UK’s PA department is truly a family. When one is hurting, we all are. When one is fighting a silent fight, we are there supporting them and when one is struggling, we pick them up. Life doesn’t stop when you are in PA school, and I was dealt some significant challenges throughout my time, but when those challenges arose, I knew I had an extra family to turn to. The staff is always a phone call away, the students are some of the most incredible and intelligent people I have ever met, and the program is a blessing to be a part of. Not only do you get very prepared for the real life with working, but you also find a new home in a place that can be intimidating from the outside looking in. The program knows what the paper says about you as a student, but more importantly they take the time to learn who you are as a person and what you need to succeed. Whether that be scholastic help or emotional support, the program will shower you with love and motivation until it is no longer possible.

5. What advice would you give to someone thinking of going down a similar path?

My main piece of advice to someone going down a similar path is to do it! Yes, it is intimidating and scary, but fear comes from the unknown. You will always be scared until you try something so why not? Be mentally tough but find your school life balance. Your mental health is just as important as the school side of things. The journey will be tough, the road will be long and curvy, and honestly you might feel like giving up is easier, but remember that we aren’t promised sunshine and rainbows in this life — but we always must be thankful for what we have and the journey we’re on.

BONUS: Lastly, what does the future look like for you — your goals, etc.?

I’m not sure what my future fully looks like or where I’ll end up. I’m going to leave that part up to God. However, If I got to choose, I would put myself working as a PA, of course, in a rural area. Whether that be outpatient, inpatient, family practice, peds, hospitalist, etc. I would want to stay close to what feels like home. I will strive to fully serve my community by advocating for them when their voices aren’t fully heard.

My main goal when I am a PA comes from my inspiring mother who recently lost her fight with breast cancer. This goal is to always fight for rural health. To bring better awareness to the challenges people in underserved communities face that as a result do affect their health and well-being. To continue fighting for research to be done in the Appalachian region and Eastern KY. And, as a result, one day find out why this region is so heavily affected by disease. The goal is to make a difference and bring some education to the ones who need it.