Longtime community health aide/practitioner Anna Frisby recently earned her physician assistant credential and will return to the SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC) Alma Cook Medical Center in Hydaburg to work as a midlevel provider.

“All the hard work Anna has done over the years and most recently the work to become a PA-C is truly an amazing accomplishment,” said SEARHC Alicia Roberts Medical Center (Klawock) Clinic Administrator Joyce Moore, who also supervises the Alma Cook Medical Center in Hydaburg. “Anna is a true role model for our kids today; she is compassionate about health care and shows that in the way she takes care of our people. I am excited to have Anna back.”

Anna has been with SEARHC since 1995, when she started as a community health aide. She later was promoted to community health practitioner (the highest level in the CHA/P program), and in 2009 she received the “Shining Star” Health Aide of the Year Award from the directors of the Alaska Community Health Aide Program.

Two years ago, Anna entered the University of Washington School of Medicine’s MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies Program, which now has a University of Alaska Anchorage campus. She graduated from the program this summer and recently passed her physician assistant certification board exams from the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants. During the MEDEX program graduation ceremony, Anna received the Anchorage Underserved Award, which is “is awarded to students that are recognized for exceptional achievement in the care of, improved access for or promotion of public awareness of the needs of the medically underserved. The recipient will have demonstrated a strong dedication to ongoing service to underserved communities.” During her her second year of MEDEX studies, Anna spent time working in urgent care at the SEARHC S’áxt’ Hít Mt. Edgecumbe Hospital in Sitka.

“She has put forth a tremendous effort in the past two years while in training, and we are looking forward to her being the supervisory provider at the SEARHC Alma Cook Medical Center in Hydaburg,” said Dr. Russ Bowman, DO, MS, MHA, SEARHC Community Health Care Services Medical Director. “We are very excited to have Anna in this role and know she will do very well in it.”

“I started working for SEARHC in 1995 as a health aide, and I enjoy what I do,” Anna said. “I decided, with encouragement from my husband and community members, to go to school to become a PA.”

In order to complete her Alaska physician assistant license, Anna will work under the direct supervision of Dr. Ellen Kemper at the Alicia Roberts Medical Center in Klawock for four weeks before she can start working independently as a PA-C in Hydaburg.

Anna’s medical interests include disease prevention and health promotion. She also loves volleyball, hiking, cake decorating and crocheting.