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 Provided by Clinician 1
Jamal Rhett died last week in Iraq. He was a New Jersey native and a combat medic. He was the latest of a group of men and women that I see articles about on my “Google Alert” because I want to see every story that has “physician assistant” on it. Except he never made home to become one. As a former medic his death haunts me. I knew how good he could have been and how much we all lost.
As the story went on to say, Jamal was in his second tour of duty in Iraq and wanted to return to the States to some day become a PA.
Jamal’s story reminded me that in 2007 the American College of Clinicians (which is now reviewing its mission) issued a wonderful position statement in effect asking the nations PA and NP programs to set aside a number of seats each class for returning medics and nurses who wanted to become either nurse practitioners or PAs. It was a great idea that has so much merit. There are men and women like Jamal who have both the character and the leadership experience that is needed so much by both our professions. I know Jamal had it. In the Newark Star Ledger on the 17th of August, an article about Jamal said that Rhett’s comrades and neighbors remembered his dedication as a medic for a platoon of 30. He never failed to answer early morning knocks on his door or his fellow soldiers’ requests, said Staff Sgt. Keith Francis, Rhett’s former sergeant."He would never turn them away,” Francis said. “He would always get up and try to help them.”
I will miss Jamal and the many other comrades he now rests with. I will miss his leadership and his courage but most of all I will miss the promise he would have brought us all. I am sorry I never got to know him, either as a person or a colleague. Rest In Peace Jamal and God Bless you and your family.
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/08/palmyra_soldier_killed_in_iraq.html
 Dave has been a PA, and later NP, leader for thirty years. He strongly believes that NPs and PAs must work together to insure a better future for both professions. Most recently Dave has been busy launching another dream; Clinician 1, the first internet community for PAs and NPs. In October 2008, Dave was honored by the New Jersey State society of PAs with its “Lifetime Achievement Award”.
The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.
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