Skin, Bones, Hearts & Private Parts – Pensacola, FL (September)

Sarah E Schroeder is a board-certified Acute Care Nurse Practitioner with more than 20 years of cardiac experience as a nurse, and 15 years of cardiac experience as a NP. She finished her PhD in nursing with a focus of frailty assessment in advanced heart failure and left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) in December 2022, and continues her passion for improving quality of life in the LVAD population, at Bryan Heart in Lincoln, NE. She started as a Diploma graduate from Bryan School of Nursing in 2001, which then led to her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2007 and Master of Science in Nursing in 2010, all from the University of Nebraska Medical Center, in Omaha, Nebraska. Sarah has worked the last 11 years as a Mechanical Circulatory Support Nurse Practitioner and Program Manager and has served on multiple boards for societies in her field (ICCAC, ISHLT, ASAIO) and recently is the Past-president for the newly created VAD-C™ Certification exam. She is a leader in the nursing and allied health field of mechanical circulatory support and enjoys mentoring others to push themselves to be their best versions of themselves. With a passion for research in the field of advanced heart failure and mechanical devices, she is the Principal Investigator for two multi-center studies, including the feasibility testing of a new tool to help LVAD patients anticipate expectations following the choice of LVAD therapy. She has contributed as a co-author to multiple critical care/cardiac chapters in the last few years and has a variety of peer-reviewed publications.

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Ashlyn Smith is a board-certified Physician Associate, Distinguished Fellow of the American Academy of PAs, and a certified Diabetes Prevention Program Lifestyle Coach with 14 years of clinical expertise and over a decade of commitment to medical education. Ashlyn is the owner, educator, and clinician at ELM Endocrinology & Lifestyle Medicine, PLLC, a telehealth-based specialty practice focused on expanding access to high-quality, endocrine care and education with the whole-health approach embodied by the specialty principles of lifestyle medicine. She also co-launched the Independent PA Collective, supporting PAs in starting and scaling innovative, independent healthcare and other PA-led ventures.

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As a Physician Assistant at Fayette Area Dermatology, I provide high-quality care and treatment for patients with various skin conditions and diseases. I also educate and mentor other medical professionals on best practices and latest developments in dermatology. With a Doctor of Medical Science from University of Lynchburg and a Master of Medical Science from Emory University School of Medicine, I have over 30 years as a PA and over 20 years of experience in the field of dermatology . I am also the President of the Society of Dermatology Physician Assistants (SDPA), where I lead and represent a diverse and dynamic community of over 4,700 dermatology PAs across the country. My mission is to advance the profession and practice of dermatology PAs through advocacy, education, research, and service. I am passionate about improving the health and well-being of patients and communities through evidence-based and compassionate care.