Kelly Gassman has received the Preceptor of the Year by the American Academy of Physicians Assistants.
According the AAPA, the Preceptor of the Year Award honors a preceptor who demonstrates exemplary service in the clinical education of PA students as a mentor, role model and instructor and furthers the image of PAs by exemplifying the PA profession’s philosophy of providing accessible, quality health care.
“Kelly excelled as she learned the specialty of psychiatry. Within three months of starting in our clinic, she was precepting students, and it was evident that she not only had the knowledge to help them learn, but also the passion to keep students engaged,” said Mark Aksamit, the department of psychiatry's ambulatory supervisor for APPs. “The student feedback elicited regarding Kelly is always amazing. Our students reference her ability to connect and help them expand their clinical skills, as well as gain a better understanding of the mental health needs of different patient populations they will treat in the future.”
Gassman has been with the Nebraska Medicine Department of Psychiatry since June 2019. Along with educating students, her other areas of interest include substance use disorders and treatment resistant depression.
“I'm so honored and thankful that my work has been recognized,” Gassman said. “Our APP students keep me energized and excited to come to work every day. I couldn't have had the impact that I have had without the support of my fellow APPs. They’re consistently willing to share their expertise and let students join them in their clinics, even if it is a last minute ask. I’m also incredibly grateful to the APCL team who has built a great environment for interprofessional learning.”
Gassman received the award during the AAPA 2022 Conference in Indianapolis May 19-25.
In 2020, Gassman received the UNMC Department of Psychiatry William H. Roccaforte Citizenship Award, which goes to a staff member who exemplifies a spirit of service, teamwork and passion that go above and beyond that person's job duties.
Congratulations, Kelly! It has been a pleasure to work with you as you craft clinical experiences for your students. Your passion for seeing that the PA students get valuable learning across specialties in psychiatry is inspiring!