By Ryan Clark
CHS Communications Director

Nearly 30 vendors came from near and far to appear at the 2022 UK PA Job Fair, but some one pair made a very long trip. Two recruiters came all the way from Coos Bay, Oregon's North Bend Medical Center. 

Why would the two women — who had never visited the state of Kentucky before — come all the way to attend a job fair for UK PA?

It had a lot to do with a new hire, said Christy Wright, the director for Recruitment & Marketing at North Bend. Recently, North Bend hired Ndeye Thiaw, who graduated from the UK PA department on July 1, 2022. But she has already made quite an impression. 

"She was just so prepared," Wright said. "She was already licensed. She was already certified — and she was ready to go to work. She's been ready to go to work. She is so impressive."

And in communicating with David Fahringer, MSPH, PA-C, and program director for post graduate education in Physician Assistant Studies, it became clear the Oregon recruiters needed to plan a trip to the Bluegrass State. 

"We had to come — and we're very happy to be here," said Laura L. Williams, North Bend's director of Human Resources. 

And here's the kicker: Ndeye hasn't really even started working yet. 

"I am still waiting for credentialing to be completed and to hear back — hopefully soon — on whether or not I could start early while waiting for credentialing," she said. "I haven’t gotten to do much. Everyone there was super nice and eager to train me."

It speaks volumes to how much of an impression the UK PA students can make — even before they officially begin work.

"This is a great opportunity for the students to get out in front of these vendors and make themselves known," Fahringer said. 


We'd like to thank all those who were scheduled to appear Friday:

Purchase KY AHEC
NW AHEC Office
North Central AHEC
Southern KY AHEC 
The UK PA Master's classes of 2022, 2023 and 2024
St. Clarie Healthcare
TeamHealth
UKHC Office of Advanced Practice
Lexington Veterans Health Care System 
UK Medical Professions Placement Program 
UK PA Academic Residency Program
Eastern State Hospital/UK PA Residency Program in Behavior Health
University of Kentucky Emergency Medicine Postgraduate Training Program
Kentucky Children's Hospital-Neonatal Intensive Care Unit-PA Residency Program
UK Global Health Initiatives
WVU Medicine
Kentucky Primary Care Association
UK PA Student Research Team
King's Daughters Medical Center/UK PA Academic Residency in Cardiology
North Bend Medical Center, Coos Bay, Oreg.
Baptist Health Medical Group
Lexington Clinic
Park DuValle Community Health Center
Kentucky Academy of Physician Assistants (KAPA)
UK Center for Interprofessional and Community Health Education
NE AHEC
South Central AHEC
West AHEC
Southeast KY AHEC