CIMA Physician Assistants/Nurse Practioners

How Advanced Practitioners Serve Our Patients

Advanced Practitioners are a critical part of the collaborative team working with you, the patient. You will meet two types of Advanced Practitioners  in our office: Nurse Practitioners (NPs) and Physician Assistants (PAs).

CIMA Physician Assistants

• Catherine Haggart PA-C
• Heather Hopper PA-C

CIMA Nurse Practitioners

• Amy Gibson, FNP-C

About Physician Assistants

A physician assistant (or PA) is a nationally certified and state-licensed medical professional. PAs practice medicine on health care teams with physicians and other providers. They practice and prescribe medication in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and all U.S. territories, with the exception of Puerto Rico.

Education & Training

PA programs are intense, two- to three-year, graduate-level programs that require the same prerequisite courses as medical schools. Most programs require students to have about three years of health care training and experience. Students take courses in basic sciences, behavioral sciences and clinical medicine across subjects such as anatomy, pharmacology, microbiology, physiology and more. Our PA’s have complete more than 2,000 hours of clinical rotations.

Unique Approach

Physicians and PAs working together in a team-oriented practice is a proven model for delivering high-quality, cost-effective patient care. PAs function as primary care providers in the patient-centered medical home as part of a multidisciplinary clinical team led by a physician.

About Nurse Practitioners

NPs are quickly becoming the health partner of choice for millions of Americans. As clinicians that blend clinical expertise in diagnosing and treating health conditions with an added emphasis on disease prevention and health management, NPs bring a comprehensive perspective to health care.

Education & Training

NPs have completed a master’s or doctoral degree program, and have advanced clinical training beyond their initial professional registered nurse preparation.

Unique Approach

What sets NPs apart is their emphasis on the health and wellbeing for the whole patient. With a focus on health promotion, disease prevention, and health education and counseling, NPs guide patients in making smarter health and lifestyle choices.