Fostering Mentorship and Support in Early-Stage Physician Assistants

At the 2024 Society of Dermatology Physician Assistants (SDPA) Annual Summer Conference in San Diego, California, current SDPA President Laura Bush, DMSc, PA-C, DFAAPA, sat down with Dermatology Times and Aubrie Jones, PA-C, MMS.

Jones is a newer grad physician assistant (PA) who began practicing in dermatology at Pacific Dermatology Specialists about a year ago. She has been a pre-PA mentor for about 8 years.

Bush and Jones spoke together about the role of mentorship and support for early-stage PAs, as well as the importance of the SDPA in fostering the growth of PAs at all stages of their careers.

Transcript

Laura Bush, DMSc, PA-C, DFAAPA: Hi, I'm Laura Bush, president of the Society of Dermatology Physician Assistants, and I'm here with Aubrie Jones.

Aubrie Jones, PA-C, MMS: Hi, I'm Aubrie. I'm a newer grad PA, and I just started practicing about a year ago.

Bush: Aubrie came up to me and asked me some questions about involvement of pre-PAs.

Jones: I've been a pre-PA peer mentor when I was in undergrad, and now a pre-PA mentor, so for a total about 8 years now, so something I'm very, very passionate about.

Bush: That's awesome, because at the SDPA, we really embrace all levels of PAs, from pre-PA to new, emerging scholars and emerging PAs and our first time attendees. This is how you come to home to the SDPA. We want your involvement, and we're just so excited.

Jones: I'm very excited to be here. It's my first SDPA conference, and like she said, I'm an Emerging Scholar. I got the scholarship this year, which was amazing, and I really love sharing my experiences online. I just created a whole video of this weekend to share with my followers and explain what we learned. I have a lot of pre-PAs ask about my day to day as a derm PA and things I'm involved in with, derm PA- related things. It's really exciting to be here.

Bush: What was your favorite thing about the conference?

Jones: Oh my gosh. Well, obviously meeting people. I know my friends aren't really in derm in this area, so it was amazing to meet new people. I got to go to a VIP experience where we did characters made out of wine, and I got to meet a couple new PAs that are from Texas and Orlando. I think I just loved meeting more people that are passionate about what I'm passionate about, struggle with the same things I struggle with, and have to go through prior authorizations and fun things like that. I think it was really fun to just meet more people that are very like-minded.

Bush: I get it. I went to my first SDPA conference in 2003 in San Antonio, Texas. It was the first SDPA conference. I remember calling home and saying, "Oh my gosh, this is so great." I met people, and that's how I became a lifelong SDPA member, and I eventually became president over it, so maybe someday you'll be president.

Jones: I would love that. I mean, that's a big thing to take on. But step by step, little by little.

Bush: It took me 20 years, but here you are. I kind of coerced her to sit down with me.

Jones: Wasn't prepared, but here we are.

Bush: Some of the best things come out of that. I say to all our fellow SDPA members or PAs out there, this is how you make friends and colleagues and peers that will help you in your career. I bet you walk away with at least 10 people you know now that you can count on.

Jones: Definitely. 100% This weekend has been fantastic.

Bush: Awesome. This is your organization, so I'm glad you feel home here.

[Transcript has been edited for clarity.]