All times listed in Mountain Time (US & Canada).
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Wednesday, April 2, 2025

• 11:00am - 12:00pm

  ✅ Registration/Check In

• 12:00pm - 12:15pm

  👋 Welcome and Opening Remarks

  Lena Phelps, MTAPA President

• 12:15pm - 1:15pm

  🔋University of Montana PA Program - Status Update

  Marci Contreras, PA-C, Director UM PA Program

• 1:30pm - 2:30pm

  🔷Menopause Mini Course Part 1 (2 lectures total)

  Tara Rothwell, PA-C
  1.0 CE Credit

  Discuss the Epidemiology, Physiology, Signs and symptoms of Menopause and treatment of menopause

  1. Know the definitions of surgical menopause; early menopause; premature menopause; and perimenopause.
  2. Recognize the symptoms and use of labs to diagnose menopause and perimenopause.
  3. Understand the physiology of menopause as it relates to the reproductive physiology of women over their life time.
  4. Understand the research supporting the role of MHT in the prevention of ASCVD, metabolic disorders, dementia and osteoporosis.
  5. Explain the significance of MHT the quality of life or postmenopausal women.
  6. Explain the potential healthcare cost savings of women on MHT.
  7. Explain the effect of loss of workforce and work productivity with regards to women who are not treated for their menopause symptoms.
  8. Explain the findings of large MHT trials, including the WHI, WHI-Memory Study, the Kronos Early Estrogen Prevention Study (KEEPS trial), and the Estrogen and Thromboembolism Study (ESTHER)

  BIO: Tara holds a BS in Physiology from UC Davis, MS Exercise Science University of Montana, MPAS University of Iowa 1997, Hold Specialty CAQ in Hospital Medicine
  She worked 10 years doing all the things at a critical access hospital in the Sierra Mountains in CA after graduating from PA school. Then she worked a variety of jobs in EM, Internal Medicine, Student Health (U of Nevada, Reno). Tara has been doing Hospital Medicine since 2009, the last nine years at St. Patricks Hospital. For fun before she moved back to MT she had a concierge practice as a side hustle which was about 85% MHT with some PCOS patients too. Fun factoids are that she has 2 amazing boys (who are now grown men); She financed all those degrees by working as a wildland firefighter for 10 years (her last 4 as a Smokejumper); and she take my postmenopausal strength training way too seriously and she is the state Champion as well as the Pan American Games Champion this year, with a 5th at the World Championships in Finland.

• 2:30pm - 3:30pm

  Concussion Management - To Play or Not to Play

  Justin Shobe, PA-C
  1.0 CE Credit

• 3:30pm - 3:45pm

  🔔BREAK

• 3:45pm - 4:45pm

  🔷NCCPA Update: Focus on recertification, new CAQs and research on Montana PAs

  Alicia Quella, PhD, PA-C
  1.0 CE Credit

  NCCPA will provide detailed information on the recertification options for PAs- the PANRE and the PANRE-LA. We will give an update for PAs in the 2029 recertification cohort, review application deadlines and assessment options. We will also provide a brief review the CAQ program (highlighting the new Occupational Medicine and Geriatric Medicine CAQs). In addition, we will describe the various ways PAs contribute to the work of NCCPA, how we communicate with PAs and other resources available to Montana PAs.

  Learning Objectives:
  • Describe the options, resources and details on recertification for PAs: focusing on the PANRE and PANRE-LA
  • Describe the CAQ program and the new CAQs (Geriatric Medicine) available for PAs
  • Describe volunteer opportunities and the ways PAs contribute to the work of NCCPA.
  • Update on recent legislation guiding PA Practice, the PA Licensure Compact and title change.
  • Describe the practice characteristics of Montana PAs.

  Bio: Alicia Quella is the Director of Communications and PA Relations at the NCCPA. She has served as a PA Program Chair and Director and has practiced in emergency medicine and primary care. She has served as an epidemiologist and has published research on the PA workforce, global health and issues affecting diversity in PA program admissions. Alicia earned her Masters of PA Studies degree and her doctoral degree in epidemiology from the University of Iowa.

• 4:45pm - 5:45pm

  🔷AAPA National Advocacy Update

  Shannon Morey, JD
  1.0 CE Credit

  Learning Objectives:
  • Identify positive changes recently made to PA practice laws/regulations across the US
  • Define elements of modern PA practice including 6KE and OTP
  • Describe strategies for advocating for the PA profession
  
  Shannon Morey, JD, Senior Director of State Advocacy & Outreach for AAPA is a graduate of Quinnipiac University School of Law. She has over 15 years of legislative and policy experience related to health care matters. In her current position with AAPA, she works with and supports AAPA’s constituent organizations and advocates for excellence in state laws that regulate PA practice in the western region.

• 5:45pm - 7:45pm

  ✴️Product Theater Dinner

  TBA

  TBA

Thursday, April 3, 2025

• 7:30am - 8:30am

  2025 Legislative Remarks

  Representative Jodee Etchart, PA-C

• 8:30am - 9:30am

  🔷Chronic Fatigue: Differential, Workup, and Management

  Dr. Isaac Billings D.O.
  1.0 CE Credit

  A review of a structured approach to the workup and management of the patient presenting with the chief complaint of chronic fatigue. Additionally, we will review the diagnosis and treatment of myalgic encephalomyelitis, otherwise known as chronic fatigue syndrome.

  Learning Objectives:
  Upon completion of the lecture “Chronic Fatigue: Differential, Workup, and Management” participants should be able to formulate an evidence-based approach to . . .
  1) Synthesizing a differential for a patient with chronic fatigue
  2) The workup of a patient with chronic fatigue
  3) Treatment of the patient with chronic fatigue with a negative workup
  4) The diagnosis and treatment of myalgic encephalomyelitis (chronic fatigue syndrome)

  Dr. Isaac Billings D.O. is a family medicine physician with St Luke Hospital in Ronan, MT. Along with his wife, Dr. Joanna Billings D.O., he practices broad spectrum family medicine including clinic, inpatient, ER, and obstetrics. He and his wife enjoy practicing and teaching medicine internationally and try to get overseas as much as they can. When not busy with work, Isaac enjoys being outdoors with a particular passion for fishing.

• 9:30am - 10:30am

  🔷International Travel: Pre-and-Post-Travel Considerations

  Isaac Billings MD / Joanna Billings MD
  1.0 CE Credit

  A general review of managing a patient seeking a pre-travel consult, including considerations in the selection of malaria prophylaxis. Additionally, we will discuss post-travel considerations such as travelers’ diarrhea and post-travel fever of unknown origin.
  
  Learning Objectives:
  Upon completion of the lecture “International Travel: Pre- and Post-travel Considerations” participants should be able to formulate an evidence-based approach to management of . . .
  1) A patient seeking a pre-travel consult
  2) Malaria prophylaxis
  3) A patient with travelers’ diarrhea
  4) A patient with post-travel fever of unknown origin

  Dr. Isaac Billings D.O. is a family medicine physician with St Luke Hospital in Ronan, MT. Along with his wife, Dr. Joanna Billings D.O., he practices broad spectrum family medicine including clinic, inpatient, ER, and obstetrics. He and his wife enjoy practicing and teaching medicine internationally and try to get overseas as much as they can. When not busy with work, Isaac enjoys being outdoors with a particular passion for fishing.

• 10:30am - 10:45am

  🔔BREAK

• 10:45am - 11:45am

  🔷Diabetes for the PCP: Screening, target goals and therapies.

  Tyler Thorson, MD

  Brief overview of screening for diabetes mellitus (DM): Initial treatment, stepwise approach to medication management, and goals of care.

  Learning Objectives:
  • Know who/when to screen for DM,
  • Understanding of different classes of medications for the treatment of DM,
  • Treatment goals for DM,
  • Monitoring comorbidities.

  Tyler Thorson, MD, is a family physician and faculty member at the Family Medicine Residency in Kalispell. He earned his medical degree from the University of Minnesota and completed his residency in Montana. Before joining the residency program as faculty, he spent six years practicing full-spectrum family medicine—including inpatient, outpatient, emergency, and obstetrics—in Ronan.

• 11:45am - 1:30pm

  ✴️Lunch and Product Theater

  Acadia - Rett Syndrome

• 1:30pm - 2:30pm

  🔷Dermatology Cases from Rural Kenya

  Charlotte L. Kutsch, MD, FAAD Dr. Charlotte Kutsch is a Board-certified Dermatologist specializing in General Dermatology. Dr. Kutsch graduated from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and completed an Immuno-Dermatology Fellowship and a Dermatology Residency at the University of Colorado, where she also served as Chief Resident in Dermatology. Dr. Kutsch is currently Clinical Assistant Professor at the Montana College of Osteopathic Medicine at Rocky Vista University, Billings, Montana where she is involved with Public Health relating to Dermatology. Dr. Kutsch has volunteered overseas in the practice of Dermatology with multiple trips to Kenya and Cambodia. Her presentation today reflects patient encounters experienced in June 2024 in a month-long trip to rural Kenya.
  1.0 CE Credit

  Learning objectives:

  -Demonstrate increased competence in identifying a variety of dermatologic conditions in skin of color

  -Provide an overview of typical cases that you might expect to see if you ever volunteer in a rural African clinic

  -Reinforce the importance of observation as a crucial skill in clinical diagnosis, especially in low resource practice settings

• 2:30pm - 3:30pm

  🔷Understanding Modern Pain Science: How pain works, how to talk to your patients about it, and what you can do to help your patient's pain.

  Samantha Schmidt, PT
  1.0 CE Credit

  Understand modern pain science and the primary cornerstones.
  Gain knowledge on how the Physician Assistant's role can best support a patients path to addressing pain.
  Learn to properly, effectively and concisely explain pain to patients in layman yet scientifically correct manner to set patients up for understanding why their pain.

  **Clinical resources, case studies, and practical experiences will be included as we work towards the above objectives.

• 3:30pm - 4:30pm

  🔷Incretin Therapy for Type Two Diabetes

  Molly Quinn, PA-C
  1.0 CE Credit

  How to utilize Incretin therapy (GLP- 1 receptor agonist and dual Incretin therapy) in type two diabetes. This will include: pathophysiology, mechanism of action, indications for use, and side effect management. We will discuss real world examples and evidence-based data. We will also touch on benefits beyond glycemic control.

  Learning Objectives-
  1. Understand the basic mechanism of Incretin therapy
  2. Choose the correct patients that will benefit based on secondary co morbid conditions.
  3. Get comfortable with dosing, titration and side effect management.

  Bio: Molly graduated from PA school at Pacific University in 2013 and has practiced in endocrinology and diabetes care for the vast majority of her career. She truly enjoys chronic disease management and getting to know and work with her patients over the decades. When not practicing medicine she can be found in the outdoors, running, mountain biking or skiing with her husband and two young children.

• 4:30pm - 5:30pm

  Roundtable Discussion: Independent Practice Business

  Troy Davis, PA-C
  1.0 CE Credit

Friday, April 4, 2025

• 8:00am - 9:00am

  MTAPA Membership Meeting

• 9:00am - 10:00am

  TBA

  1.0 CE Credit

• 10:00am - 10:15am

  🔔BREAK

• 10:15am - 11:15am

  🔷Infertility for Primary Care

  Diana Podlecki, PA-C
  1.0 CE Credit

  Objectives:
  • Identify the most common causes of infertility
  • Review a basic work up for male and female infertility
  • Empower PCPs to feel comfortable with making recommendations and starting treatment for their infertility patients
  • Know when to refer patients to Ob/Gyn or Reproductive Endocrinology

  Diana graduated from the University of Nebraska PA Program in 2010. She has worked in Primary Care including Family Practice and Internal Medicine. She has spent the last 10 years working in Ob/Gyn in Missoula. In her free time, she enjoys skiing, hiking, gardening and her newest hobby is learning how to golf!

• 11:15am - 1:00pm

  ✴️Lunch and Product Theater

• 1:00pm - 2:00pm

  The Ortho-Neuro Paradox: Life in the Spine Resource Center

  Justin Shobe, PA-C
  1.0 CE Credit

• 2:00pm - 3:00pm

  🔷Menopause Mini Course Part 2

  Tara Rothwell, PA-C
  1.0 CE Credit

  1. Learn how to prescribe MHT, including the available options both systemic and local treatment of symptoms.
  2. Understand the FDA approved uses for MHT.
  3. Understand the risks and benefits of MHT and the efficacy of MHT compared to non-hormonal treatments.
  4. Understand the research with regards to length of MHT therapy, as well as the timing and initiation of MHT.
  5. Understand the risks and benefits of MHT in breast/ovarian/uterine cancer survivors and in patients with history of thromboembolism.
  6. Understand the caveats to prescribing MHT with regards to use of Compounding pharmacies, and the use of pellets.
  7. Understand the benefits of testosterone replacement therapy and the pitfalls to prescribing testosterone therapy for women.
  8. Know how to counsel your menopausal patients with regards to exercise, nutrition, and sleep for the prevention of disease during the menopausal years.

  See Tara's Bio in Part 1 in agenda above

• 3:00pm - 3:15pm

  🔔BREAK

• 3:15pm - 4:15pm

  TBA

  TBA
  1.0 CE Credit