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 Home > MRC Spotlights > Volunteer Spotlight - May 2006
Volunteer Background Information Prior to moving to Washington, DC about 3 years ago, Kirsten Thomsen, PA-C, was a faculty member at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Department of Family and Community Medicine. While there, she developed the Physician Assistant Program for the School of Medicine and was the first Program Director. During this time, she served on the New Mexico Medical Board PA Advisory Committee for 6 years. She graduated from the Northeastern Physician Assistant Program in Boston in 1988. Ms. Thomsen is a faculty member of the George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences Physician Assistant Program, where she also serves as the University Preceptor with the Healthcare for the Homeless ISCOPES group, an interdisciplinary community service learning program. She helps students learn about the health needs of the homeless through direct interaction in the shelters and clinic sites that serve them. The DC Area Health Education Center consulted Ms. Thomsen to develop curriculum and training for the Health Navigator Program, which trains community members to help Washington, DC residents understand and navigate the healthcare system. The program, funded by the DC Department of Health, attempts to better ensure increased access to primary care services, particularly in underserved communities, while focusing on prevention and health promotion education. Mentoring work with middle and high school students also is her passion. What did the Volunteer do to be in the Spotlight?Ms. Thomsen was active in providing assistance to Hurricane Katrina victims in Washington, DC and in her participation with a bus caravan transporting victims to the District. During the years, she has worked very effectively to recruit other physician assistants for MRC activities. She also has been involved in several drills and training/planning activities. Medical Society and Alliance MRC Director, Debra Evans, stated that Ms. Thomsen has been a great asset to the MRC and community. When and Why did the Volunteer Join the MRC?Ms. Thomsen joined the MRC in spring 2003 after hearing about the need for physician assistants and other health professionals to support the public health needs in Washington, DC. What Activities has the Volunteer Participated in With the MRC Unit?Medical support for the funeral services of both President Ronald Reagan and Ms. Rosa Parks provided Ms. Thomsen the opportunity to participate in an activity, which involved tens of thousands of visitors waiting in lines, sometimes 6 to 8 hours, to pay their respects at the Capitol Rotunda. The importance of vigilant monitoring of visitors for potential dangerous health situations, due to dehydration, cardiac health problems, diabetes, and exhaustion, among others, was immediately evident. Her MRC training is readily applied in these situations. During a mass disaster exercise last year, Ms. Thomsen used her Danish language skills to simulate a community resident who did not speak English but needed medical attention. This provided the opportunity for exercise evaluators to see how important translators are in disaster planning. She also participates in pandemic flu and weapons of mass destruction strategic planning and training sessions. In September 2005, with a few hours notice, Ms. Thomsen left to participate in the effort called by Washington, DC Mayor’s Office to assist the Hurricane Katrina-affected areas in the Gulf Coast with an emphasis on providing evacuation assistance in New Orleans. Traveling by bus with the Washington, DC team, she participated in assisting evacuees with medical needs and emotional support. This disaster provided an opportunity to put training into practice. It secured the need to expand MRC participation by health professionals and volunteers of many backgrounds. She has since tried to encourage fellow physician assistants, doctors, and community members to see how they might become involved in the MRC. Interesting FactsSince the first trip to New Orleans, Ms. Thomsen has returned twice. In March, she joined more than 280 students from Washington, DC on an “alternative spring break” to help with the clean-up effort in the lower 9th ward. In April, she returned to New Orleans to attend Tulane’s graduation at the invitation of the MPH keynote speaker, an international MPH student, who had been evacuated from New Orleans and temporarily attended George Washington University. This provided Ms. Thomsen the opportunity to reconnect with people working in the lower 9th ward, an area that remains devastated. Ms. Thomsen shares MRC information learned with the DC Academy of Physician Assistants, where she serves as vice president. She also is active with the Society of Primary Care Policy Fellows as past president and senior advisor. Her work as a physician assistant educator has brought her to South Africa, at the invitation of their Minister of Health, to present at a national conference about physician assistant education on behalf of the Physician Assistant Education Association, International Affairs Committee. Ms. Thomsen’s spare time is spent exploring Washington, DC by foot with her husband, an Environmental Health Specialist with the Department of Transportation. She enjoys visiting the panda cub at the zoo, reading, connecting with friends, the Washington Nationals baseball games, and meeting new people. Last Updated on 6/6/2006 |
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