Surgical Postgraduate Physician Assistant Program

General Description

This program was developed in 2005 by surgical physician assistants in multiple subspecialties to train PA’s in surgery to have a well-rounded background in general and specialty areas of surgery. The program is run by physician assistants and attending physicians at Bassett Healthcare including a regional network of four affiliate hospitals and 28 community health centers serving an eight-county region in central New York. PA’s spend most of their time in Cooperstown, N.Y. at The Mary Imogene Bassett hospital, a 180-bed acute care, and inpatient teaching facility. Bassett has physician residencies in General Surgery, Primary Care, Internal Medicine and transitional year.

Currently, over 20 physician assistants practice within the Department of Surgery, including all of the subspecialties. The post graduate training program is 12-months in duration, with didactic and clinical portions ongoing throughout the year. PA’s will participate in grand rounds, surgical case presentation, surgical subspecialty conference, surgeon-in-chief rounds, Morbidity and Mortality conference, Trauma conference and complete selected readings and/or attend conferences specific to each subspecialty rotation. The PA will be encouraged to be a self-motivated, lifelong learner. PA’s rotate through general surgery, ICU/Cardiac surgery, Orthopedic surgery, Plastic Surgery, Neurosurgery, Urology, Gynecology, Otolaryngology, and Rural Surgery. They will have the opportunity to select one or two electives to complete during the last eight weeks of the program. PA’s should plan to work 50-hours a week, plus one night of call every other week. They will have three weeks vacation.

Cooperstown is the home of the beautiful Glimmerglass Lake and State Park and the National Baseball Hall of Fame. The surrounding countryside offers unlimited opportunity for biking, hiking and backpacking, picnics, boating, fishing, swimming, golf and much more. The community’s Clark Sports Center has state-of-the-art recreational and fitness facilities.

Admissions Process and Timetable
Two PA’s are selected each year. Our goal is to accept individuals with specific surgical career goals.

Applications:
Must be submitted by April 30 for an August start date and by October 30 for a January start date. Interviews are conducted in May and September. Acceptance will be in June and October.

Program Start Date:
1st session: 1st week of September
2nd session: 1st week of January
Contingent on NYS license

Entry requirements:
Applicants must be graduates of an ARC-PA approved program, NCCPA board certified, eligible for NYS license or current license.

Completed application to include three reference forms, CV, personal statement, official transcripts from college and PA school, copies of BLS and ACLS or other certification. A personal interview is required.

Financial Information

Salary: $40,000

Benefits:

• Three weeks paid vacation, five personal days, four professional days
• PA’s are eligible to join Beneflex, Bassett’s flexible benefits plan for medical, dental, life, accidental death/dismemberment, long-term disability, pharmacy, eye care and HSA spending.
• Financial support to attend national PA conference
• Six calendar holidays
• On-call food allowance
• Library services

Housing:
Assistance available in finding local housing.

Contacts:
Medical Director:
Eric Mooney, M.D.

Program Directors:
Shari Johnson-Ploutz, M.Ed., ATC, RPA-C
Department of Surgery
Bassett Healthcare
One Atwell Road
Cooperstown, N.Y. 13326
shari.johnson-ploutz@bassett.org

Administrative Manager:
Kelly Stone
Mithoefer Center for Rural Surgery
One Atwell Road
Cooperstown, N.Y. 13326
kelly.stone@bassett.org
(607) 547-3202