NSU introduces program director for physician assistant studies

(Tahlequah, Oklahoma) - Northeastern State University welcomed Troy Bender as the new program director for the physician assistant studies program, Jan. 15.

Bender has 26 years of combined healthcare experience ranging from pre-hospital, hospital, air medical transport, clinic, emergency room and surgical patient care settings. Bender received his paramedic certificate from Tyler Junior College in 1994. He received his undergraduate degree in business management from the University of Phoenix in Denver, Colorado in 2000 and his masters in physician assistant studies from Missouri State University in 2009.

Bender started his medical career as a paramedic in rural Texas and was recruited to assist the start-up of a new ambulance service in Denver. While in there, he worked for Flight for Life, the first hospital-based air medical transport program in the United States and the program which has served as the model for more than 300 flight programs worldwide.

Bender was promoted to Regional Director of Base Operations for a CAMTS accredited Texas air medical program where he began teaching continuing education courses, outreach education and new-hire academy training. He also served on numerous area, regional and state trauma advisory council committees, as well as the Governors EMS and trauma advisory council committee. His first academic appointment was with the University of Texas Health Sciences Center in San Antonio. He also worked as an adjunct faculty instructor with Angelina College in Lufkin, Texas.

Working as a physician assistant-certified for eight years, Bender has specialized in orthopedic spine surgery and emergency medicine in rural Oklahoma and the Dallas-Fort Worth area. He served a small, rural community hospital as a sole provider in the emergency department, and in this role, he served as the medical control for the local EMS in addition to participating in the clinical training of physician assistant students.

We are fortunate to have Mr. Bender join NSU and the experience/knowledge he will bring to the PAS program, said Dr. Pamela Hathorn, dean of NSUs Gregg Wadley College of Science & Health Professions.