Advancing PA Professionalism: Education, Mentorship, and Career Growth
November 7, 2025 from 9:00am MST to 11:00am MST
Professionalism is a cornerstone of PA practice, yet its education and assessment vary across Canadian PA programs. This interactive session will explore how professionalism is taught and reinforced through mentorship, preceptorship, and real-world clinical experiences. A panel of PA professionalism leads will discuss best practices, challenges, and strategies for fostering professional identity. Attendees will engage in live polling and discussion to share their perspectives on professionalism in PA education and clinical practice.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this session, the participant will be able to:
- Compare past and current approaches to teaching and assessing professionalism in Canadian PA programs through the CanMEDS-PA framework
- Identify challenges and best practices in fostering professionalism across the PA career trajectory, from student to experienced clinician
- Encourage practicing PAs to engage in mentorship, preceptorship, or tutoring by providing clear pathways and addressing perceived barriers to involvement
Speakers / Panelists
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Advancing PA Professionalism: Education, Mentorship, and Career Growth
November 7, 2025 from 9:00am MST to 11:00am MST -
Advancing PA Professionalism: Education, Mentorship, and Career Growth
November 7, 2025 from 9:00am MST to 11:00am MST -
Advancing PA Professionalism: Education, Mentorship, and Career Growth
November 7, 2025 from 9:00am MST to 11:00am MST -
Breaking Bad News: Guidance on stroke-related vascular dementia
November 6, 2025 from 1:00pm MST to 1:50pm MST -
Making the case for writing compelling case studies
November 6, 2025 from 9:00am MST to 9:50am MST
Ashley Millham
CD, CCPA
Ashley Millham
Ashley Millham is a Physician Assistant at Regina General Hospital, specializing in General Internal Medicine. He is also a Program Lead for the University of Saskatchewan’s Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) program, where he plays a pivotal role in curriculum development and academic leadership. Additionally, Ashley serves as the Alternate Director for Saskatchewan on the Board of Directors for the CAPA, where he works to support and advance the PA profession. Ashley graduated from the Canadian Armed Forces Physician Assistant program in 2010 and has over 15 years of experience as a PA. He served five years as a PA with the Canadian Special Operations Regiment and was later appointed as the Director of the CAF PA Program prior to his retirement. He also worked with 24/7 Occupational and Emergency Medical Services, providing emergency and routine care to workers in remote locations. Ashley is proud to be the first Physician Assistant employed by both the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) and the University of Saskatchewan.
Sharona Kanofsky
PA-C, CCPA, MSc
Sharona Kanofsky
Sharona Kanofsky, PA-C, CCPA, MSc, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Family & Community Medicine, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto. She was the founding academic coordinator of the Consortium of PA Education Program and is currently PA Program Research & Scholarship Lead. In addition to her full-time faculty appointment, Sharona is studying toward her PhD in Health Professional Education Research at the Wilson Centre at UHN. Professor Kanofsky is a Canadian- and American-certified PA with a master’s degree in health professions education. She practiced as a PA in the US and Canada, most recently in geriatric care at Baycrest Hospital and is the recipient of the 2013 Tom Ashman PA of the Year Award.
Allen Szabon
CD, PHD, MPAS, CCPA
Allen Szabon
Originally from Chilliwack BC, Allen joined the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) in 1986 as a Combat Engineer and in 1993 he transitioned to the medical branch. He served for 28 years with deployments to Cyprus, Yugoslavia, Rwanda, Israel, Syria and three additional tours to Afghanistan. He was selected for the CAF PA program in 2005 and graduated in 2007. Allen retired from the CAF in 2013 to accept a position in Alberta’s Demonstration Project in the department of clinical neurosciences in Calgary where he currently lives with his wife Sandra, their three daughters, two grandchildren and their dog Koda. Allen works in a variety of clinical settings at the Foothills Medical Centre with patients who have experienced functional impairments secondary to a stroke, a spinal cord injury, a brain injury or other neurological conditions. In addition to publishing two personal books, he attended the University of Lynchburg, graduating in 2021 with his PhD in Stroke medicine. In addition, Allen is the provincial clinical lead for Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) courses run within Alberta, he is an active member of the PA Certification Counsil of Canada (PACCC), and he is a clinical lecturer for the MPAS program at the University of Calgary. He continues to be a strong advocate for the PA profession and looks forward to being a strong advocate for integration of PAs into health care in Alberta and across Canada.