Martha E. Petersen, MPH, CHES, PA-C Assistant Professor Department of Physician Assistant Education: MPH Master of Public Health. East Stroudsburg University B.S Physician Assistant Program. Trevecca Nazarene University B.A. Physiological Psychology. Adams State College

Courses Taught:
PHYSA 414/514 Pathophysiology
PHYSA 416/516 Introduction to Patient Counseling and Education
HLTSC 430/530 Principles of Research
PHYSA 540 Master's Independent Research


Areas of Academic Specialty:
Research Methods
Women's Health


Research Area:
Role of Deans/Administrators in PA Education
Information Seeking Behavior of Clinical PAs


Continuing Education:
On going 100 hours required CME to maintain national certification

Developed and coordinate annual ‘Steel City Symposium', providing continuing medical education for students and professionals in the community


Publications:

Text book Chapters:

Physician Assistant: A Guide to Clinical Practice . Editors Ruth Ballweg, Sherry Stolberg and Edward Sullivan. Chapter: Public Health Emergencies. In progress.

Sexual Health . Editors: Mitchell Tepper and Annette Owens. Chapter: Menopause and Sexuality. Expected publishing date spring 2007.

Clinical Procedures for Physician Assistants . 2 nd Ed. Editors: Richard Dehn and David Asprey. Chapter: Endometrial Biopsy. Expected publishing date fall 2006.

Perspective on Physician Assistant Education Vol. 16(1):
‘Needs Assessment for Deans and Administrators of Physician Assistant Programs.' 2005

In collaboration with students as faculty advisor on the Masters Thesis Evidence Based Medicine Project:
Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants (JAAPA) “Obstructive Sleep Apnea: More than Just Lost Sleep?” Kelly Felmet. 9/06

“Is rt-PA useful for stroke after 3 hours?” Jeremy Nau 2/2004

Advance for Physician Assistant “DHA and Infant Development” Heidi Bruggeman and Allison Morgan 10/06

“Can Hmg-CoA reductase inhibitors be used to prevent or delay the onset of cognitive decline in patients with Alzheimer's disease?” Jennifer Hartman 9/06

“Treatment of Erectile Dysfunction: What is the most effective and safest cGMP-specific Phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor (PDE5) for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) David Breit 4/06

“Soy Protein for Heart Health” Kelly Spiers 1/06

“Children in Pain” Melissa Kauffman 12/05

“Alzheimer's Disease and Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors (AchEIs)” Emily Simonovich 10/05

“Treatment of Depression in the Elderly: A Comparison of Pharmacological Options” Kim Arena 9/05

“Laparoscopic Live Donor Nephrectomy. The New Standard of Care for Kidney Donation?” Amanda Murphy 11/03


Professional Presentations:
Physician Assistant Education Association Annual Conference
Workshop: ‘ Reading, Writing and Rubrics: Assessing Student Writing' ‘06

Poster: ‘One Experience is Worth a Thousand Words Student Reflections: Thematic Data for Curriculum and Accreditation.'   ‘05

Poster: ‘A Case Study: A Surgeon's Journey in Physician Assistant Education.' ‘05

Poster  ‘Pilot Poster: Project: Palliative Care in Physician Assistant Education.' ‘05

Physician Assistant Education Association Semi-annual Conference Workshops:
‘Information Literacy in Physician Assistant' ‘06

‘Perceptions of the Physician Assistant Accreditation Process' ‘04

‘Who Will Keep the Public Healthy? The Ecological Model and Core Competencies in Your Curriculum' ‘03

Association of Schools of Allied Health Programs Annual Conference ‘Research Skills for 21st Century Allied Health Professionals: Faculty Collaboration with the Library' poster. In collaboration with David A. Nolfi, MLS, AHIP, Health Science Librarian. ‘06

‘ Health Literacy in Physician Assistant Education' poster. In collaboration with Bridget Calhoun MPH, PA-C. ‘05.

Annual Best Practices in Higher Education Conference: Assessing the Impact of Service-Learning . Workshop . ‘The Impact of the Clinical Encounter: Community Partnerships and Service-Learning in Physician Assistant Education.' In collaboration with Deborah Opacic EdD, PA-C. 11/04

Pittsburgh Blackboard User's Group Conference Workshop ‘One Blackboard, Three Courses: The Clinical Year Site for Physician Assistant Students' In collaboration with Deborah Opacic EdD, PA-C, and Bridget Calhoun MPH, PA-C. 3/05.

Annual Conference of the Pennsylvania Library Association 10/03

QuintEssentail Conference 10/03. ‘Pathfinder: A Collaborative Model for Facilitating Student Research' In collaboration with David A. Nolfi, MLS, AHIP, Health Science Librarian


Projects:
PA Pathfinder: In collaboration with David Nolfi, Health Science Librarian, Gumberg Library, Duquesne University, developed informational research oriented web page for PA students: accessible and utilized nationwide by PA programs and students. Athletic Training, Occupational Therapy and Speech-Language Pathology Pathfinders developed modeled on PA Pathfinder. Accessed at: http://www.library.duq.edu/pathfinders/index.htm


Professional Narrative:
Martha began her medical career as a lay midwife in southwestern Colorado, doing home deliveries for migrant workers and ‘hippies' with the back up of doctors from the National Health Service Corps. After graduation from PA school, Martha settled in the Poconos in eastern Pennsylvania and worked clinically for twenty years in OB/Gyn, general surgery and radiation oncology. Martha received her Masters in Public Health with a concentration in community health education, conducting research on a county wide multi-faceted approach for the promotion of breast feeding. After teaching in another PA program for one year Martha joined the Duquesne faculty in January 2002.

Martha's teaching philosophy is best presented by a quotation from the cofounder of the International Federation of University Women, Virginia Gildersleeve:

“The ability to think straight,
Some knowledge of the past,
Some vision of the future,
Some skill to do useful service,
Some urge to fit that service into the well-being of the community-
These are the most vital things education must try to produce.”

Phone: 412.396.5918
E-mail: petersen@duq.edu