The Physician Assistant Student's Guide to the Clinical Year: Internal Medicine

David Knechtel, MPAS, PA-C, is the Clinical Coordinator at the Milligan College Physician Assistant program and a practicing PA at Pulmonary Associates of East Tennessee. Mr. Knechtel graduated from Duquesne University in 2006. Prior to his appointment as Clinical Coordinator in 2017, he was a full time PA in the field of pulmonology, internal medicine, and primary care for 11 years. In addition to his pulmonary practice, he is a volunteer provider at Providence Medical Clinic, a free clinic for indigent patients. He is a member of Tennessee Academy of Physician Assistants and has been a speaker at their state conference. He belongs to PAEA and AAPA as well. Deborah Opacic, M.M.S., EdD, PA-C, DFAAP received a Bachelor of Science - Physician Assistant at St. Francis University in Loretto, PA in 1982. She completed her graduate studies and received a Master of Medical Science, at St. Francis in 1994, and a Doctoral Degree in Educational Leadership from Duquesne University in 2001. Dr. Opacic has held clinical and academic appointments at the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, the University of Pittsburgh, Duquesne University and Allegheny General Hospital. Her clinical experience is in Adult Psychiatry, Hematology/Oncology, Cardiothoracic Surgery; Heart, Lung and Liver Transplantation and Gastroenterology. During her 12 year tenure at Duquesne University, Dr. Opacic served as Academic Coordinator, Clinical Coordinator and Vice Chair of the Department of Physician Assistant. In 2010, she received the Pennsylvania Society of Physician Assistant's "Educator of the Year Award". Dr. Opacic is the founding Director of the Physician Assistant Studies Program at the University of Pittsburgh. She recently returned to clinical practice in the Division of Gastroenterology at the Allegheny Health Care Network. Dr. Opacic received both the Pennsylvania Society of Physician Assistants Award as PA Educator of the Year 2010 and the Pennsylvania Society of Physician Assistants Award as Humanitarian of the Year 2018 for her work as a Primary Care volunteer provider and grant writer for Sheep Inc. Free Health Care Center located in East Pittsburgh, PA. She is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Academy of Physician Assistants, Member of the AAPA's Research and Strategic Initiatives Commission, Fellow of the Society of Gastroenterology Physician Assistants, and the Pennsylvania Society of Physician Assistants. Maureen Knechtel, MPAS, PA-C, received a bachelor's degree in health science and a master's degree in physician assistant studies from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA. She is the author of the textbook EKGs for the Nurse Practitioner and Physician Assistant, 1st and 2nd editions. Knechtel is a fellow member of the Physician Assistant Education Association, the American Academy of Physician Assistants, and the Tennessee Academy of Physician Assistants. She is the academic coordinator and an assistant professor with the Milligan College Physician Assistant Program in Johnson City, TN, and practices as a cardiology PA with the Ballad Health Cardiovascular Associates Heart Institute. Knechtel has been a guest lecturer nationally and locally on topics including EKG interpretation, chronic angina, ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, hypertension, and mixed hyperlipidemia.