DrPH student recognized for Outstanding Physician-PA Partnership of the Year

February 21, 2018 • Uncategorized

By Sally Crocker

Carolyn Bradley Guidry nesbitt
Carolyn Bradley-Guidry (right) with Dr. Shawna Nesbitt

After leading the UT Southwestern Medical Center (UTSW) Department of Physician Assistant (PA) Studies to national recognition with the Diversity Through Excellence Award from the Physician Assistant Education Association Education last fall, UNTHSC School of Public Health DrPH student Carolyn Bradley-Guidry, MPAS, PA-C, CPH, has now been honored with Dr. Shawna Nesbitt for the 2017 Outstanding Physician-PA Partnership of the Year Award from the Texas Academy of Physician Assistants.

Bradley-Guidry is an Assistant Professor of Physician Assistant Studies in the UTSW School of Health Professions as well as the Director of Diversity and Inclusion for the entire UTSW School of Health Professions, which includes PA Studies, Physical Therapy, Clinical Nutrition, Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling, Radiation Therapy and Prosthetics/Orthotics. Dr. Nesbitt serves as Professor of Internal Medicine and Associate Dean for Student Diversity and Inclusion at UTSW.

The partnership between Bradley-Guidry and Dr. Nesbitt has two aspects, clinical and administrative.

Clinically, the two work together in the specialty Hypertension Clinic of the UT Southwestern Clinical Heart Center, focusing on managing medically-complex patients with resistant and/or secondary forms of hypertension.

Nominations from colleagues for this award highlighted that the PA-Physician Partnership between Bradley-Guidry and Dr. Nesbitt “exemplifies what a provider team should be.”

“They value and respect each other’s profession and role, they have provided professional service by sharing their knowledge of hypertension to providers in Texas, they work together to build diversity in both professions, and they provide service to the community. They are outstanding role models for the next generation of PAs and physicians,” the colleague wrote.

Another nomination said that their “positive impact on patients and families, as well as their diversity work at the UTSW Medical School and School of Health Professions” puts them in the “top 1% of all partnerships” the colleague had encountered.

“It is very exciting to see our students working to improve patients’ health and demonstrating such a commitment to diversity and inclusion in this way,” said Dr. Dennis Thombs, UNTHSC School of Public Health Dean. “These partnerships and honors represent important strides aligning with the values of public health and creating healthier communities, and we congratulate Carolyn on her accomplishments.”

Bradley-Guidry plans to complete her DrPH degree from the UNTHSC School of Public Health in 2019.