Celebrating a 30 Year Legacy: Kristine Kucera, PA-C, MPAS, DHS, Receives SDPA Lifetime Achievement Award

During today’s award ceremony at the SDPA Fall 2025 conference in San Antonio, Texas, Kristine Kucera, PA-C, MPAS, DHS, was presented with the Joe Monroe Lifetime Achievement Award. The Lifetime Achievement Award is named after the founder of the SDPA and the first president of the organization, Joe Monroe, MPAS, PA, known for his contribution to the field of sharing his knowledge and experiences to help support PA colleagues.

In an exclusive interview with Dermatology Times, Kucera, who currently practices at Bare Dermatology in Dallas, Texas, reflected on her 30-year career and the evolution of the PA role within dermatology. She described the honor from the SDPA as deeply meaningful, symbolizing the remarkable progress the profession has made since her early days in practice.

When Kucera began her career, dermatology PAs were a rarity. Fewer than 50 existed nationwide, and physicians were often unfamiliar with how to integrate PAs into clinical practice. Overcoming skepticism and a lack of recognition was among her greatest professional challenges. Through persistence and advocacy, she and her peers helped establish dermatology PAs as essential members of the care team. Today, she says, that recognition stands as one of her proudest achievements.

“I was someone who was very passionate about getting our name out there...making sure that dermatologists knew that they could collaborate with us and actually use us as a partner in crime,” Kucera noted.

Kucera has witnessed exponential growth in the field, particularly over the past 25 years. The number of dermatology PAs has expanded dramatically, and the physician community now embraces PAs as collaborative partners in delivering high-quality, accessible dermatologic care. She considers this widespread acceptance a testament to the profession’s dedication, education, and clinical excellence.

For new dermatology PAs, Kucera emphasizes the importance of mentorship. She credits her first supervising dermatologist with shaping her career through patient guidance and teaching. Finding a physician mentor who is PA-friendly and committed to education, she says, is critical to building both confidence and competence in the specialty.

Looking ahead, Kucera remains enthusiastic about the future—for herself and for dermatology PAs as a whole. With at least another decade of practice ahead, she foresees continued expansion of opportunities beyond the clinical setting, including roles in research, academia, and the pharmaceutical industry. In her view, the profession’s trajectory remains upward, driven by innovation, collaboration, and passion. “The sky’s the limit for us,” she concluded.