Features

The Armstrongs – A Couple in Healthcare

Emily and Dan Armstrong

Dubuque has several couples who spend their working hours dedicated to the health care of their patients. Working in the same profession has benefits and challenges. Let’s see what Dan and Emily Armstrong have to say about working as a healthcare couple.

Dan and Emily Armstrong are both Physician Assistants, better known as PAs. Dan works at Dubuque’s Medical Associates in the Rheumatology Department while Emily works through Medical Associates at Tri-State Occupational Health.

What is a PA? “With the PA profession typically you do your bachelors, then you do the masters program, and during that program you have different rotations, including core rotations,” explained Emily. “Then you have elective rotations where you get to choose. Then you might get a job after school in one of those specialties that you are interested in and that you have done a rotation in. But that’s not always how it works. My first job was in orthopedics, and I had not done an orthopedic rotation. So then what it comes down to is getting trained by your peers and your attending physician that you work with.”

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