Blogs

Member Spotlight: Dr. Claudette Dalton

By Paige Bishop posted 08-28-2024
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We're excited to launch a new series that puts the spotlight on our physician, PA, and student members! Beyond impressive credentials and medical expertise, our members are fascinating individuals with unique stories and perspectives. This new feature uncovers their passions, hobbies, and the inspiring journeys that led them to a career in medicine. Our first spotlight is with long-time MSV member and leader, Dr. Claudette Dalton. Thank you, Paige Where did you grow up? In Charlotte, NC where my dad was a Family Med doc. Why did you choose a career in medicine? Mostly ...
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Member Spotlight: Karina Parr, MD

By Paige Bishop posted 08-29-2025
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Where did you grow up? I have lived overseas and traveled extensively throughout my childhood before moving to Texas, where I finished high school. All my subsequent education was there, including Texas A&M Medical School and Baylor Scott and White residency. Why did you choose a career in medicine? Both of my parents are physicians. My mother is a pediatric orthopedic surgeon and my father is a pathologist. They were always very generous with their time and medical training. My mom made house calls to check on her friends’ children any time there was a need. She volunteered as a team doctor for my and my sister’s athletic ...
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Member Spotlight: Dr. Sharon L Sheffield

By Paige Bishop posted 12-05-2024
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Thank you Dr. Sharon Sheffield for being our member spotlight for the month of December! Where did you grow up? I was born in Portsmouth, Virginia. My father was in the Navy, and when I was in the third grade, my father was transferred to the West Coast. He drove us from Portsmouth to live in Bremerton, Washington, in Navy Housing. After one year, we moved to Long Beach, California, and returned to Portsmouth when I was in the 6th grade. Why did you choose a career in medicine? I have always wanted to be a doctor for as long as I can remember. I recently realized that genetics affected my decision because ...
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Member Spotlight! Dr. Steven Lewis

By Paige Bishop posted 05-12-2025
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Where did you grow up? My parents were both military so I grew up mostly moving between Northern Virginia and several countries overseas, including Germany, Korea, and Egypt. My family is originally from Mississippi and I often spent time there while my parents were deployed. Why did you choose a career in medicine? I initially did not plan on going into medicine. While I was living in Egypt in high school, I had the opportunity to see how medical care was provided to people with limited resources and that at times even lived in desert areas and I was amazed by the passion the physicians and interdisciplinary team provided ...
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Member Spotlight: Raziuddin Ali , MD

By Paige Bishop posted 06-27-2025
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Where did you grow up? The suburbs of RVA! Why did you choose a career in medicine? I knew I drew strength from interacting with people, hearing their stories, and wanting to improve people’s lives, but I did not know where to go with that. I candy striped at a local hospital as a teenager which piqued my curiosity in healthcare. When I was in high school, my father suffered a heart attack, and it cemented my desire to positively impact people’s health. That set off a cascade of events that led me to pursue medicine. What is your favorite part about being a physician and why? The relationship and trust with patients. ...
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Member Spotlight: Dr. Joe Hutchison

By Paige Bishop posted 09-23-2024
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Where did you grow up? I grew up in Des Moines, Iowa. I spent a lot of time in Iowa City with college and medical school. I had another 5 years in Iowa City as a college dropout playing in a band and touring the Midwest. Why did you choose a career in medicine? It seemed like the only thing that was interesting besides playing music. Also, I figured I would rely less on ramen noodles as a physician than as a musician. What is your favorite part about being a physician and why? One is the relationships with entire families who are patients. Another aspect is I just love science. Last, I really love saving lives, some literally ...
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Physician Shortage: Solutions to Protect Physicians, Patients, and Healthcare Delivery

By Jenny Young posted 07-12-2022
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Within 12 years, the U.S. faces a physician shortage of between 37,800 and 124,000 physicians — which balloons to between 102,400 and 180,400 if underserved populations had healthcare-use patterns similar to those with fewer access barriers. These shortage projections by the Association of American Medical Colleges include between 17,800 and 48,000 primary care physicians, and between 21,000 and 77,100 non-primary care physicians. Unfortunately, the shortage is already very apparent. Despite the fact that the number of U.S. physicians is on the rise, there aren’t enough physicians today to meet needs. Physician numbers just aren’t growing fast enough ...
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Member Spotlight: Bobby Cockram, PA-C

By Paige Bishop posted 01-22-2026
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New year, new stories! In 2026, we’re stepping behind the scenes with our Member Spotlight series. From life-changing patient care to 'aha!' moments that define your career, we’re putting the heart of healthcare on camera. Meet the members who make an impact. Our kick-off starts with Bobby Cockram, PA‑C, with Inova Health. Bobby’s healthcare career began as a medic, where he first discovered his passion for helping people—an ethos that continues to define his work today. His commitment to his patients and profession exemplifies the best of healthcare in Virginia. We’re honored to have him as a member, and fortunate to have him serving communities across ...
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Member Spotlight: Kathleen Scarbalis, PA-C

By Paige Bishop posted 09-12-2025
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Where did you grow up? Saratoga Springs, NY; the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains, a beautiful place I have family and continue to visit. Why did you choose a career in medicine? Two of my loves are science and education. Medicine beautifully combines these. I was a chemistry major with a teaching minor in college. In the days before the internet, my mother sent me a newspaper clipping about the PA program at Albany Medical Center. What a great idea! What is your favorite part about being a PA and why? Relationships are important to me. The collaborative relationship with work colleagues and patient relationships ...
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Member Spotlight: Olaoluwa Omotowa, MD

By Paige Bishop posted 08-08-2025
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Where did you grow up? I grew up in Idaho Falls, Idaho Why did you choose a career in medicine? My father was trained as a chemist, obtaining his PhD in Chemistry and my mother was trained as a bedside nurse, obtaining her PhD in Nursing Policy. From an early age I enjoyed meeting all the people my mother helped and loved having discussions about science with my father. A career in Medicine was a natural fit for me as it was a perfect blend of science and caring for others. What is your favorite part about being a physician and why? My favorite part about being a physician is caring for patients and answering ...
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Member Spotlight: Kimberly Sapre, PA-C

By Paige Bishop posted 02-07-2025
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Where did you grow up? I grew up in Crawford, AL, a rural town outside of Phenix City, AL. Why did you choose a career in medicine? I chose a career in medicine to help eliminate healthcare disparities. Unfortunately, I was introduced to how the U.S. healthcare system functioned as a patient. I had several traumatizing experiences as a patient and decided that I could work to make a difference for patients in the future. What is your favorite part about being a physician assistant and why? The PA profession is an excellent career choice. One of my favorite parts of being a PA was the ability to take care of patients ...
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Member Spotlight: Courtney Corboy, PA-C

By Paige Bishop posted 04-18-2025
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Thank you Courtney Corboy, PA-C for being our spotlight! Currently Corboy works clinically with Head and Neck Cancer at VCU Health as well as PA Educator at RMC PA Program. Read her spotlight below. Where did you grow up? I grew up in Smithfield, VA, affectionately known for “Ham, History, and Hospitality.” Why did you choose a career in medicine? Practicing medicine is a beautiful combination of my love for science and people. What is your favorite part about being a physician assistant and why? Learning from members of my team and educating patients make this career life-giving for me. I appreciate that every member ...
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Member Spotlight: Ishan Perera

By Paige Bishop posted 04-04-2025
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Today we spotlight Ishan Perera from our medical student section. Where did you grow up? I was born in New York, New York, but moved to Norfolk, VA, when I was about 3. I spent most of my childhood in Norfolk; in fact, I attended elementary, middle, high school, and college on essentially the same street! Why did you choose a career in medicine? I chose medicine while I was in high school after volunteering at my local hospital and by chance shadowing the Neurosurgery team. I immediately fell in love and decided I would pursue it. What is your favorite part about being a physician and why? I am not a physician just yet, ...
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Member Spotlight: Dr. Thomas Eppes

By Paige Bishop posted 03-07-2025
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Thank you to Dr. Thomas Eppes for being our March Member spotlight! 1. Where did you grow up? Amelia, Virginia, essentially Mayberry USA, in a town of 800. My father’s pharmacy was the shaping force of my work life. 2. Why did you choose a career in medicine? I was called at age19, to be a physician as a healer. On top of this I was called to be a Christian physician living this as the NorthStar of my life and practice. 3. What is your favorite part about being a physician and why? Patients and the trust that they put in me to guide their health care. Every day I knew that I was ...
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Colorectal Cancer Screening: 4 Steps for Success in Your Practice

By Arthur Vayer posted 03-07-2023
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Are you talking to your patients about colorectal cancer screening? Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month is an important time for conversations with your patients about the disease, including screening and prevention — because your patients are more likely to have seen, heard, or read information about it right now. It’s also the perfect time to assess how your own practice is doing with patient screenings, because you know screening is the secret weapon in the fight against cancer. Setting up your practice for colorectal cancer screening success is as easy as following 4 steps recommended in a guide by the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable (NCCRT), ...
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What is the MSVPAC? Why MSV’s Political Action Committee is so important

By Taylor Cepeda-Laporte posted 04-11-2022
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Posted on behalf of co-authors and MSVPAC Board Members Trisha Anest, MD and Robert Glasgow, PA-C, MPAS, MPH -- When you need to make an important decision but you’re not familiar with the subject area, what do you do? You consult an expert to get the details you need to help you make an informed decision. The goal of MSV’s nonpartisan Political Action Committee (MSVPAC) is to do just that: provide legislative decision-makers with the information, data, and details they need to make informed decisions about healthcare-related issues and policies. Despite the fact that healthcare issues are at the top of the agenda for our legislators here in ...
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Physician Self-Care Is Mission-Critical Today

By Arturo Saavedra posted 11-08-2021
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There’s no question COVID-19 has up-leveled physician stress and burnout — which you know all too well was already a challenge for medical professionals. Quarantines. Increased patient loads. Staff absences and shortages. Fear of exposure. Supply anxiety. New PPE protocols. Vaccinations and vaccination status concerns. Decreased practice revenue and increased costs (link is external) . Patient fear. Misinformation. Telehealth visits and their related technology demands. Delayed patient health screenings and treatment. The list goes on. And that’s all on top of issues already facing physicians and PAs every day before the pandemic. We’ve all ...
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Member Spotlight: Scott Armistead, MD

By Paige Bishop posted 12-03-2025
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Where did you grow up? Mechanicsville, VA Why did you choose a career in medicine? I felt called to missionary medicine during my first year in college. What is your favorite part about being a physician and why? I value the bond with people and families formed by walking with them in their journey through the challenges of illness. Is there a specific event or learning experience that you had that served as an “a-ha” moment or growth opportunity? I was able to shadow a missionary doctor in Kenya during the summer after my junior year in college. I observed the demise of a young boy with Burkitt’s ...
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Member Spotlight: Shaylyn Fahey

By Paige Bishop posted 01-03-2025
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Thank you to medical student Shaylyn Fahey for kicking off the new year with her member spotlight! Where did you grow up? Newtown CT Why are you pursuing a career in medicine – and is there a specialty you have a passion for? I am pursuing a career in Emergency Medicine because it allows me to blend my clinical skills and my passion for social advocacy. I have always loved the wide breadth of medicine and in the emergency department I am able to see all different pathologies while also experiencing first-hand the problems that plague the communities in which we work. What is ...
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Cybersecurity: 10 Steps to Protect Your Patients’ Data and Privacy

By Taylor Cepeda-Laporte posted 10-12-2022
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As more and more of our everyday lives and information move online, cyber risks from hackers, malware, denial of service attacks, and ransomware attacks continue to increase. There are cybersecurity risks to everything from the nation’s energy infrastructure to personal health and financial data — with the latter putting physician practices squarely in the risk zone. Generally speaking, what’s at stake? Breach of privacy. Loss of data. Loss of money. Service disruption. And even loss of trust — trust in technology, certainly, but people also lose trust in an organization responsible for a cyber breach. Especially for physicians, having and keeping your patients’ ...
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