Each year, National PA Week is celebrated October 6–12 to recognize the important role Physician Associates play in healthcare.
PAs work closely with physicians and other healthcare professionals to evaluate patients, diagnose conditions, develop treatment plans, perform procedures, prescribe medications, and provide ongoing education and support.
In many specialties, including vascular medicine, they are an important part of making care more accessible, personalized, and efficient.
What Does a Physician Associate Do?
Physician Associates are highly trained medical professionals who practice medicine as part of a collaborative healthcare team.
Their responsibilities can include:
- Evaluating symptoms and medical history
- Performing physical exams
- Ordering and reviewing diagnostic tests
- Diagnosing medical conditions
- Developing treatment plans
- Performing certain procedures
- Educating patients about their health and treatment options
- Helping patients manage ongoing conditions
For patients, that often means having another knowledgeable provider who can answer questions, explain treatment, and help guide them through their care.
The Role of PAs in Vein and Vascular Care
In vascular medicine, Physician Associates can play an especially hands-on role.
Patients may come in with symptoms such as leg heaviness, aching, swelling, itching, visible varicose veins, or changes in the skin. These symptoms can sometimes be related to conditions such as chronic venous insufficiency, when the veins in the legs have difficulty efficiently returning blood back toward the heart.
A PA working in vein care may help evaluate these symptoms, review imaging, discuss treatment options, and assist with or perform minimally invasive venous procedures.
Just as importantly, PAs often spend a significant amount of time educating patients about what is happening and what they can expect.
Helping Patients Feel Comfortable and Informed
Vein treatment can feel unfamiliar or intimidating, especially for someone who has never had a procedure before.
That makes communication an important part of good care.
Explaining a procedure in plain language, answering questions, and helping patients understand what to expect can make the experience much more comfortable. Building trust is often just as important as the treatment itself.
That patient-centered approach is something we value strongly at Florida Vein Center.
Recognizing Our Own Katrina Mullen, PA-C
During National PA Week, we’re also proud to recognize Katrina Mullen, PA-C, a board-certified Physician Associate on the Florida Vein Center team.
Katrina is a Florida native and first-generation American of Panamanian heritage. She is bilingual in English and Spanish, which allows her to care for a wider range of patients in our community.
She earned her Bachelor of Health Science from the University of Central Florida before completing her Master of Physician Assistant Studies at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
After beginning her career in Urgent Care and Emergency Medicine, Katrina transitioned into vascular medicine, where she now focuses on conditions such as chronic venous insufficiency and lymphedema, along with minimally invasive vein procedures.
Like many PAs, she brings a combination of clinical knowledge, procedural skill, patient education, and compassionate care to each visit.
National PA Week is an opportunity to recognize the thousands of Physician Associates helping patients across the country every day.
They work in nearly every area of medicine and play an important role in improving access to care, supporting physicians, and helping patients feel heard and informed.
At Florida Vein Center, we’re grateful for the contributions PAs make to modern healthcare and proud to celebrate the dedication they bring to patient care.
Happy National PA Week to Katrina and to Physician Associates everywhere.