As a General Surgery Physician Assistant, I have the wonderful opportunity to be part of a multi-disciplinary team to develop and implement patient care. In just a few hours, the work we do can help someone feel better, improve and even change their life. In the operating room, my role is to assist the surgeon and also be a second set of eyes. If I see something of concern from my vantage point , it is my responsibility to inform the surgical team so we can address it right away. Yet, I do so in such a way that brings a calmness to the OR, which is very important during surgery. While I typically do not interact directly with patients during planned procedures, I do have the opportunity to see patients in advance of emergency procedures. In these cases, it is my role to explain and educate in an empathetic manner. Because we are so close to the beach, many of these cases are vacationers who are far from their hometown hospital. To calm any worries, I reassure them that Shore is where I would take my family member if they needed emergency surgery, and that tends to put them at ease.
