Physician Assistant Emily Phaneuf prioritizes building patient relationships while treating them and understanding the importance of quality of life.
Emily’s path to becoming a PA
Her interest in medicine started in her early teen years. She rowed competitively and was always intrigued with how the body works and how to improve athletic performance.
After being diagnosed with a cardiac condition herself, Emily spent time conducting research and working in cardiac based patient care. Her personal experience as a patient in a setting where she interacted with many medical professionals helped her to solidify her own path to becoming a physician assistant.
“I was exposed to a lot of PAs in that setting,” Emily said. “They took time to understand me as an individual outside of diagnostic care. That type of interaction was what inspired me to become a PA.”
While attending the Physician Assistant program MCPHS, she kept an open mind to different areas of interest. She came to love her dermatology studies and clinical rotations in both cosmetic and medical dermatology.
Emily’s new role
She acknowledged that cosmetic based dermatology is a growing field, but prefers to stay on the medical side of things.
“I am excited to learn from Dr. Novikov and gain exposure to wound care,” said Emily. “The nursing home experience is unique. I enjoy working with elderly patients and being able to provide bedside care to them week after week and to develop patient relationships.”
Her undergraduate focus was exercise science. She noted that it was a perfect combination with Physician Assistant school. This background will be valuable as she begins her career with Dr. Novikov Wellness and Skin Care.
“I understand how the body functions as a whole and the importance of good nutrition and exercise and how all the pieces come together to formulate a healthy individual,” Emily said. “The body needs to be functioning optimally to heal properly and minimize infection.”
Her approach with patients is a holistic one. She cares for the patient as a whole and wants to understand what is important to them. This way she can offer them a balance of living a healthy life while addressing their health concerns.
Her work with the students in the practice’s Gap Year Scribe and Practice Assistant Program enables her to share knowledge with them, as well as to constantly learn more herself.
Emily said that when she is not working, recreation rowing is still part of her life. She also enjoys traveling, cooking and baking.
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Special Interests
- Skin Cancer Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment
- Dermoscopy
- Skin Biopsies
- Cryotherapy of skin lesions
- Minor Skin Surgery
- Chronic Wound Healing
