Host:
Bev Kimball

Guests:
Alexis Myhre, PA-C Augsburg PA Program graduate and current Augsburg Graduate Fellow. Alexis recently began her career with Minnesota Epilepsy Group.

Jenny Nyflot, PA-C ENT Physician Assistant at HealthPartners St. Paul Otolaryngology and former Augsburg Graduate Fellow.

Madie Vranyes, PA-C Emergency Department Fellow at Regions Hospital and former Augsburg Graduate Fellow.

Episode Summary:
In this episode of the MAPA Podcast, host Bev Kimball welcomes three recent graduates from the Augsburg PA Program, Alexis Myhre, Jenny Nyflot, and Madie Vranyes, to discuss the Augsburg Graduate Fellowship Program.

The fellowship offers recent PA graduates a unique opportunity to mentor students, support PA faculty, and strengthen their teaching and leadership skills during the transition from graduation to clinical practice. Through tutoring, grading clinical work, leading skills labs, and participating in curriculum development, fellows stay connected to the classroom while beginning their careers as practicing PAs.

The guests share what motivated them to pursue the fellowship, how it shaped their early careers, and the powerful moments that come from helping students experience those “lightbulb” learning moments.

They also reflect on the value of mentorship, the importance of giving back to the PA profession, and how programs like this can strengthen the future of PA education.

In the inaugural episode of PA Pulse with MAPA, hosts Joe Frye and Faith Dammann Schlicht, PA-C, introduce listeners to MAPA’s new quarterly podcast designed to keep Minnesota PAs informed, engaged, and connected.

Faith shares her background as a practicing PA in Minnesota and MAPA Social Media Marketing Committee member, and together they outline what listeners can expect from the podcast, timely updates, advocacy news, upcoming events, and ways to get involved.

The episode dives into PA Day on the Hill (March 3), with Faith walking listeners through what the day looks like, why advocacy matters, and how approachable the experience is, even for first-timers. They also discuss a planned post-event meetup at The Gnome in St. Paul.

Next, Joe and Faith break down federal student loan caps and how recent classification changes could impact PA students nationwide, emphasizing the importance of collective advocacy and speaking up through AAPA and legislators.

The conversation continues with key student-focused opportunities, including:

• MAPA Student Scholarship applications opening February 1
• The inaugural MAPA Student & New Grad Summit on February 28, a free, full-day event packed with education, advocacy, networking, and career development

The episode also introduces a fun and educational recurring segment, PA Puzzler, featuring a clinical trivia question. The show wraps with a message from MAPA President Hayden Middleton. PA-C.

Host: Josh Loew, PA-C, MPAS

Guests: Ashley Vitale, DHSc, PA-C, CPAAPA and Natalie Trueman, PA-C

In this special episode of the MAPA Podcast, host Josh Loew, PA-C sits down with Ashley Vitale, DHSc, PA-C, CPAAPA, recipient of MAPA’s 2025 Preceptor of the Year Award. Ashley shares her journey as a surgical PA with Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato and reflects on nearly two decades of mentoring PA students.
The conversation explores why precepting is essential to the future of the PA profession, how mentoring students has shaped Ashley’s own clinical practice, and what makes a truly great preceptor. Ashley offers candid insights into surgical education, adaptability in clinical training, and the powerful two-way relationship between students and preceptors.

Josh also speaks with Natalie Trueman, PA-C, MAPA’s 2025 PA of the Year, to discuss her journey into hospital medicine, what meaningful patient care looks like in practice, and how recognition can help sustain clinicians through burnout.
Natalie reflects on her path to becoming a PA, her role as a hospitalist at Regions Hospital and Methodist Hospital, and the privilege of caring for patients from all walks of life. She shares powerful insights on goals-of-care conversations, end-of-life decision making, mentorship, and the importance of honoring patient dignity.