By Steve Edwards

BCJ News

Locals visiting the Sweet Medical Center during April are likely to see a familiar face. James Miller, who graduated from Chinook High in 2009, is completing work on a Master of Physician Assistant program and will be doing a family practice rotation with the local clinic. Clinical rotations give students experience in various aspects of medical practice.

At CHS Miller was active in football, wrestling and track, held several offices in FFA and served as class president. He completed a bachelor of science degree at Rocky Mountain College, in Billings, and will finish his master degree program there in August. James is the son of Pauly and Perry Miller of Chinook.

What Physician Assistants (PA)

do and how they prepare

Miller wrote, "PAs are able to diagnose, treat, and prescribe for all diseases." He added, "PAs must have a supervising physician...someone who is there to collaborate on more difficult patients, sign off on charts, and answer questions as they arise." Miller explained that as trust is built between a PA and a supervising physician there is more autonomy for the PA. Just like physicians, PAs often specialize in a particular field of medicine.

Job prospects for PAs are very good. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Employment of physician assistants is projected to grow 30 percent from 2014 to 2024, much faster than the average for all occupations. As demand for healthcare services grows, physician assistants will be needed to provide care to patients." The government forecast also notes the need for physician assistants will be particularly strong in rural areas.

To become a certified physician assistant requires prior experience in the medical field, a number of prerequisite courses to enter a master-level program, complete a 26-month graduate level program and score at a certain level on a national certifying exam. In Miller's case, he completed a bachelor of science in biology at Rocky, an undergraduate degree that fulfilled the most courses required before enrolling in the PA program at the graduate level.

At Rocky Mountain College, in addition to the prerequisites, a PA student must have worked in the medical field in some capacity for "no less than 1000 patient contact hours." Miller first worked in the medical field as a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) at Sweet Nursing Home in Chinook. While in college he worked as a CNA on the inpatient medical floor and later as a Patient Care Tech in the Emergency Department at Billings Clinic Hospital. He explained, "To get my CNA license I used the experience gained from my Med-Prep class offered in high school and a couple weeks studying the CNA book." He successfully 'challenged' (without taking a preparation class) the test which is both written and oral.

The graduate program for a Physician Assistant requires one year of course work and an additional year of clinical experience. There are certain rotations everyone must complete. Each rotation, Miller explained, is six weeks long. During the year-long clinical phase he will do rotations in internal medicine, OB/GYN, psychiatry, surgery, pediatrics and family practice. Those rotations will take him to facilities in Chinook, Warm Springs, Cut Bank, twice to Great Falls and twice to St. Vincent's Hospital in Billings. Students can do a second rotation in an area that particularly interests them. In addition to the family practice rotation at Sweet Medical, Miller will do a second family practice rotation in Chester.

Miller will complete his graduate program in August of this year. That will make him eligible to take the PANCE, Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination. That's an exam with 300 questions that takes nearly six hours to complete. Successful completion of the test results in a national certification. Each state has its own licensing procedures, based on the national certification.

Why a Physician Assistant and

plans after graduation?

Asked why he chose to be a physician assistant, Miller wrote, "Ever since I can remember I told my parents I wanted to be a doctor." He added that once he was enrolled at Rocky Mountain College he began to research medical careers and decided that working as a physician assistant was "...where I truly thought I could help others the most."

After graduation, testing and licensure, Miller plans to stay in Billings. He explained, "My 5-year plan, as of now, is to practice in Billings." He said initially he wanted to practice in an area where he would be exposed to a wide variety of medical situations, helping him become a better clinician. He added, "This isn't to say that I won't eventually find myself back in Chinook." He and his fiancé, Samantha Dietz, plan to marry in September. She is completing a nursing degree.

Commenting on James Miller's upcoming rotation at Sweet Medical Center, Dr. Joe Nemes said, "It will be good to have James return to SMC for a medical training rotation. We are all looking forward to working with him again. We'll leave the lights on for this gentleman." The "Journal" welcomes James back home and wishes him success in his new career path.