Not Your Average Generalist: Highlighting PAs Practicing in Various Specialties
November 7, 2025 from 11:00am MDT to 12:30pm MDT
PAs are trained as generalists, having broad knowledge and skills across various areas of medicine. However, PAs are not your average generalist; immediately following graduation, they are ready to hit the ground running. PAs possess unique strengths and skills that go beyond the ordinary, making them valuable in various roles and situations.
This dynamic plenary panel discussion will shine a spotlight on the diverse contributions of PAs working across a wide range of medical specialties. Hear firsthand from PAs who are not only delivering high-quality care in specialized fields but are also actively advocating for the advancement of the profession. Panelists will share their unique journeys, clinical insights, and the ways they’re championing the PA role within their health care teams and beyond.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this session, the participant will be able to:
- List some areas of medicine PAs are championing the profession
- Describe the role of PAs in some of these medical specialties
- Identify ways in which PAs are advocating for the profession within clinical and broader health care settings
- Discuss challenges and opportunities for PAs working in specialized areas
Speakers / Panelists
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Not Your Average Generalist: Highlighting PAs Practicing in Various Specialties
November 7, 2025 from 11:00am MDT to 12:30pm MDT -
Lightning Rounds: Most Interesting Cases Competition
November 7, 2025 from 3:00pm MDT to 4:30pm MDT -
Not Your Average Generalist: Highlighting PAs Practicing in Various Specialties
November 7, 2025 from 11:00am MDT to 12:30pm MDT -
Medical Trivia - Diseases, Diagnostics and Drugs, Oh My!
November 8, 2025 from 1:30pm MDT to 2:20pm MDT -
Not Your Average Generalist: Highlighting PAs Practicing in Various Specialties
November 7, 2025 from 11:00am MDT to 12:30pm MDT -
Medical Trivia - Diseases, Diagnostics and Drugs, Oh My!
November 8, 2025 from 1:30pm MDT to 2:20pm MDT -
Not Your Average Generalist: Highlighting PAs Practicing in Various Specialties
November 7, 2025 from 11:00am MDT to 12:30pm MDT -
Not Your Average Generalist: Highlighting PAs Practicing in Various Specialties
November 7, 2025 from 11:00am MDT to 12:30pm MDT
Katrina Pullia
CCPA
Katrina Pullia
Katrina is a Physician Assistant at CHEO in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. She has worked in the field of Psychiatry in both Manitoba and Ontario since graduating from the McMaster PA program in 2018. Katrina is passionate about PAs in research and highlighting the role PAs can play in improving access to care to mental health services for patients across the country.
Alison McIntyre
CCPA
Alison McIntyre
Patrick Lefaivre
CCPA
Patrick Lefaivre
Patrick Lefaivre is a physician assistant (PA) practicing at The Ottawa Hospital, providing in-patient care within the Department of Malignant Hematology since 2015. Upon graduating from the University of Toronto PA Consortium Program in 2014, he worked at UHN and Princess Margaret Hospital in Surgical Oncology before transitioning into his current role. An Ottawa local, he earned his BSc (Hon) in Human Kinetics at the University of Ottawa before completing his Advanced-Emergency Medical Care Assistant (A-EMCA) training at La Cite College. He then worked as a Paramedic with the City of Ottawa for 10 years. During his paramedic career he worked at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI) as a Research Coordinator in trauma and cardiac arrest studies with the Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium (ROC). In 2006 he worked with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) to help develop an EMT training program at Makassed University in Beirut, Lebanon and helped to develop their ambulance system. Patrick is keen to share his knowledge and has been a guest speaker at multiple conferences including the Trauma Association of Canada, the PanAmerican Trauma Society, and the Eastern Ontario Trauma conferences. He continues to share his knowledge within his PA role as a clinical preceptor for both UofT and McMaster PA students. He is a member of the PACCC Test Committee.
Natalie Dies
CCPA
Natalie Dies
Natalie is a 2012 McMaster graduate now a surgical assist and practicing rural emergency in Crowsnest Pass, Alberta. When not in the ER, you’ll find her carving down mountain bike trails or relaxing with her dog in her newly built tiny home.
Danijela Kiperovic
CCPA
Danijela Kiperovic
Danijela is a Physician Assistant currently working in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Rockyview General Hospital in Calgary. She graduated from the University of Toronto’s Physician Assistant program in 2024 and began her position in the NICU in January 2025. As the first and only PA in her unit, Danijela is excited to share what the journey has been like stepping into a brand-new role in such a specialized environment. She’s looking forward to connecting with fellow PAs and sharing her experience at this year’s CAPA conference.