VA physician assistant’s goal is to provide the highest quality of treatment

Physician assistants (PA) serve in one of the broadest roles in health care. A PA is a licensed medical professional who holds an advanced degree and can provide direct patient care. They work in multiple areas of specialty and primary care, diagnosing and treating common illnesses and working with minor procedures.

To get a better understanding of the PA role in supporting Veterans and their health care journey, we’re proud to introduce you to one of Bay Pines VA’s PA staff, Elizabeth Robinson, pictured above.

“I think my entire life I went through a process of considering different science-based careers before I came to the conclusion that I wanted to go into medicine,” Robinson said. “In college, I was looped into a pre-PA club and that was when I fell in love with the idea of being able to work within the field.”

Robinson’s day-to-day is never the same. She gladly welcomes the diversity of cases and challenges the fluctuating schedule adds to her life. “In my role, I’m able to serve as a supplemental provider for the patients. I deliver care from the perspective of wanting the Veterans to be treated as if they were my family,” she said. “I ask myself, ‘If this were my mom, how would I want her care to be?’ Every time I go into a patient’s room, my goal is to do what’s best for them and provide the highest quality of treatment.”

In 2021, Robinson earned her master’s degree from the University of Florida. For nearly two years, she has contributed her expertise to the surgery department at C.W. Bill Young VA.

The Tampa native specializes in thoracic surgery and says her interest in oncology is the driving force behind her passion. “When I was in college, my father passed away from pancreatic cancer. I think I envisioned myself on the other side of that experience. Being able to deliver some sort of peace to a patient and their family is paramount.”

Serving Veterans comes naturally to Robinson, but her introduction to working with them came long before she set her sights on becoming a PA. While still an undergrad, she frequently volunteered in the operating room at James A. Haley VA in Tampa.

“Each time I went to volunteer, I loved the atmosphere and I knew I wanted a job at VA,” she said. “Veterans have a unique outlook on life you can’t find in other places. They make caring for them easy and I feel really lucky to be able to serve them.”