Podcast by Eileen Ravella & Troy Bender
The PA Playbook
Practical Advice for Physician Associates. We discuss smart strategies for PA practice, legislative updates, leadership and advocacy and making the most of your career.
The PA Playbook
Latest episodes
02 October 2026
No Preceptor, No Progress: Solving the NP Clinical Training Crisis
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing reports that in 2025, nursing schools turned away more than 92,000 qualified applications across baccalaureate and graduate programs. Among the reasons cited were shortages of faculty, clinical sites, and clinical preceptors.
At the same time, the NP workforce continues to expand. The American Association of Nurse Practitioners now reports approximately 461,000 licensed NPs in the United States, with about 87% educated and prepared in primary-care-focused programs.
That creates an enormous clinical education infrastructure challenge.
Every new clinician needs more than classroom education.
They need patients.
They need clinical sites.
And they need experienced clinicians willing to teach them.
But clinicians themselves are facing productivity expectations, documentation requirements, staffing shortages, and burnout.
So today I want to move beyond simply saying:
“We need more preceptors.”
Guests: Dr. Katie Wahler NP & Dr. Devyn Nixon NP
00:00
59:17
01 October 2026
Finding Strength: Breast Cancer, Motherhood & the Journey Through PA Doctoral Program
Imagine spending years learning how to diagnose and care for patients—then suddenly hearing the words, “You have breast cancer.”
In this moving episode of PA Playbook, we hear one PA student's story of navigating breast cancer while in PA school.
We talk about fear, vulnerability, balancing treatment with school, asking for help, and the unexpected ways this experience changed the kind of healthcare provider she wants to become.
Because sometimes the experiences that challenge us most can shape the clinicians we ultimately become.
Guest: Dr. Audrey Lee PA-C
00:00
01:10:13
26 September 2026
Beyond “Just a Cramp”: Rethinking Pain During Gynecologic Procedures
IUD placement and endometrial biopsy are common office-based gynecologic procedures—but for many patients, the pain and anxiety associated with these procedures can be significant.
In this episode of PA Playbook, we explore how clinicians can better anticipate, prevent, and manage gynecologic procedural pain. We’ll discuss IUD insertion and endometrial biopsy, evidence-based approaches to pain management, trauma-informed communication, informed consent, and the importance of listening to patients when they tell us something hurts.
We’ll also look at these procedures from the patient’s perspective: What do patients wish clinicians understood? What language makes them feel supported rather than dismissed? And how can clinicians give patients greater control over their own care? This conversation is ultimately about more than pain medication. It’s about trust, communication, dignity, and creating a better healthcare experience.
Guests: Dr. Elizabeth Cardozo NP & Bob Smithing NP
00:00
51:13
18 September 2026
The Aging Imperative: PAs and NPs in Geriatric Care
America’s population is aging much faster than its geriatric workforce is growing. In this episode of PA Playbook, we examine the roles of PAs and NPs in caring for older adults and why so few clinicians identify geriatrics as their primary specialty.
The discussion explores workforce shortages, age-friendly care, polypharmacy, dementia, falls, frailty, caregiver support, rural access, advance care planning, and the policy and educational changes needed to attract more clinicians to geriatric practice.
Guest: Jessica Wright MBA, MSPAS, PA-C
00:00
51:07
11 September 2026
From Frontier Medicine to the Future: 50 Years of PA Practice
What has changed over the past 50 years for Physician Associates—and what challenges remain?
In this episode of PA Playbook, Eileen Ravella sits down with a pioneer of the profession, Dr David Mittman a Physician Associate with five decades of clinical experience and a former President of the American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA). Together we reflect on the remarkable evolution of the PA profession—from its early years to today’s expanding role in healthcare.
The conversation explores leadership, rural medicine, legislative progress, workforce shortages, changing educational standards, technology, and what the next generation of PAs can expect. Whether you’ve practiced for 30 years or are just entering the profession, this episode offers an inspiring look at where we’ve been and where we’re headed.
Host: Eileen Ravella, DMSc, PA-C, DFAAPA
Guest: Dr David Mittman, PA-C, Former President, American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA)
00:00
57:57
03 September 2026
Living with ALS: Finding Purpose After the Diagnosis
Receiving a diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) changes every aspect of life—but it doesn't define who you are.
In this episode of PA Playbook, I sit down with Brian Bea, PA-C, a retired U.S. Army Colonel, Physician Assistant, and leader whose career was devoted to caring for others before being medically discharged following his diagnosis with ALS.
Brian shares what it is like to transition from healthcare provider to patient, how he navigates uncertainty, and what it means to continue living with purpose while facing a progressive terminal illness. This conversation is about resilience, family, leadership, hope, and finding meaning in every stage of life.
Whether you're a healthcare professional, caregiver, patient, or someone facing life's unexpected challenges, this episode offers insight and inspiration about what it truly means to live well.
Guest: Brian Bea
00:00
52:08