28th MDG physician assistants support mission readiness

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Alec Carlberg
  • 28th Bomb Wing
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. --  The 28th Medical Group is tasked with ensuring Airmen remain healthy and mission-ready, from routine care to deployment clearances, every medical role contributes to keeping the Raider mission moving forward.

Physician Assistants (PA) are integral part of that mission by delivering healthcare and generating total force readiness at Ellsworth Air Force Base.

The profession traces its military roots to 1965, when Dr. Eugene Stead established the first PA program at Duke University after training Navy corpsmen during World War II. That inaugural class of four former corpsmen laid the foundation for a profession that now includes more than 2,500 active-duty PAs across all branches of service.

PAs are nationally certified, and state licensed medical professionals who provide patient centered care for active-duty members, their families, and retirees.

“Physician assistants are highly trained, trusted clinicians who work collaboratively within healthcare teams,” said Capt. Kirsten Anders, 28th MDG physician assistant.

Educated as generalists, PAs are trained to adapt across specialties and clinical settings. In the Air Force, they serve in primary care, emergency services, orthopedics, surgical specialties, research, flight medicine, special operations, and on White House staff.

At Ellsworth, six PAs provide care in the Family Health Clinic, Active-Duty Clinic, and Base Operational Medicine Clinic. In the past year, more than one third of all 28th MDG patient visits were conducted by PAs.

“Our PAs take medical histories, perform exams, order and interpret tests, diagnose and treat illnesses, prescribe medications, assist in surgeries, and conduct hospital rounds,” Anders said. “We are force multipliers, especially in the face of a provider shortage.”

Capt. Kimberly Shea, 28th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron physician assistant, serves as the sole provider for arming use-of-force determinations across the installation. She also implemented an acute care program and revitalized the Bomb Wing’s Sick Call program, earning the 28th MDG recognition as no. 1 in Defense Health Network Central for 24-hour access to care.

In the Base Operational Medicine Clinic, PA Blake Greenfield cleared more than 100 short-tasked deployers in under 48 hours, ensuring on-time mission delivery.

The Interservice Physician Assistant Program (IPAP) provides a 29-month graduate program for service members to earn a master’s degree and commission. Applications open Oct. 1 each year for U.S. Air Force active duty, ROTC, and ASAFA members with a deadline in late January. More information is available on myFSS at: https://myfss.us.af.mil/USAFCommunity/s/knowledge-detail?pid=kA08300000001Q7CAI.

“IPAP is an incredible opportunity to advance professionally while serving in a role that directly supports force health and readiness,” Anders said. “The selection board looks for leadership, resilience, and a commitment to learning—not only clinical experience.”

For Anders, the profession is most rewarding when it connects directly to the people she serves.

“The privilege of caring for Airmen and their families is what makes this job meaningful,” said Anders. “Every patient encounter is an opportunity to support the Air Force’s greatest asset: the Airmen.”
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