Education
THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL School of Public Health,
Department of Health Policy and Administration Bachelor of Science in Public
Health - Graduated with Distinction: May, 1996.
EMORY UNIVERSITY School of Medicine, Physician Assistant Program Master of
Medical Science Graduated with Highest Honors: December, 2003
Clinical Experience
Physician Assistant, Emory Healthcare - The Emory Clinic Department of
Family and Preventive Medicine (June, 2004-July, 2007)
Department of General Internal Medicine (July, 2007-present)
Research Project Coordinator, Duke University Medical Center Department of
Medicine, Smoking Research Laboratory (August, 2000-July, 2001)
Emergency Medical Technician, Orange County Emergency Medical Services
(October, 1999-July, 2001)
Health Sciences Research Assistant, Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Institute for Medical Research, Smoking Research Laboratory (December,
1999-August, 2000)
Organizations/Licenses
Physician Assistant - Certified - National Commission on Certification of
Physician Assistants
Physician Assistant - Licensed - State of Georgia Composite State Board of
Medical Examiners
Fellow, American Academy of Physician Assistants
Member, Georgia Association of Physician Assistants
Teaching/Speaking/Writing
Course
Director and Lecturer, Health Promotion Disease Prevention
Lecturer and Academic
Tutor, Introduction to Clinical Medicine
Lecturer and Academic
Tutor, Fundamentals of Clinical Medicine
Lab
Instructor, Introduction and Fundamentals of Clinical Medicine Laboratories
Lecturer, Clinical & Diagnostic Methods
Lecturer, Pharmacotherapeutics
Lectures:
Fundamentals
of Clinical Medicine:
Approach to
the Genitourinary Patient
Approach to
the Gastrointestinal Patient
Diabetes
Mellitus
Treatment of
Diabetes Mellitus
Hypertension
Clinical &
Diagnostic Medicine:
Introduction
to Routine Screening Laboratory Testing
Pharmacology:
Treatment and Prevention of Migraine Headaches
Health
Promotion Disease Prevention:
Introduction to Health Promotion Disease Prevention
Screening in
Primary Care
– A Tool for Health Promotion Disease Prevention
Health Risk
Assessment and Clinical Behavioral Change
General:
Heat Injury –
South Georgia Farmworker Health Project
Board Review:
ABCs of the Asymptomatic Patient
The PANCE - Preparation
and Review
Cardiovascular Board Review
Team-Based Learning: Challenge Bowl Board Reviews (3)
Reviewer:
American Academy of Physician Assistants CME Conference – 2008
Cases in Thyroid Disease
Detection and Management
Demystifying Type 2
Diabetes Management
American Academy of Physician Assistants CME Conference 2007
Diagnosis, Prevention,
Early Treatment, and Complications of Diabetes
Selecting, Monitoring,
Titrating, and Intensifying Insulin Therapy
Case Challenges in
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: An Expert Update
PharmCards: Review Cards for Medical Students, 3rd edition
A Comprehensive Review for the Certification and Recertification
Examinations for Physician Assistants, 2nd and 3rd
editions
Publication :
Waller LA, Bryson, WH.
“Can emergency contraception help to reduce teen pregnancy?” Journal of
the American Academy of Physician Assistants. 2007; 19(4): 42-46.
Honors/Awards
Didactic Teacher of the Year – Emory University Physician Assistant Program
- December, 2009
City of Decatur Hometown Hero Award, Decatur Business Association –
December, 2009
Didactic Teacher of the Year – Emory University Physician Assistant Program
– December, 2008
Faculty Achievement Award – Georgia Association of Physician Assistants –
July, 2007
Emory University Physician Assistant Program – December, 2003
Outstanding Academic
Achievement Award
Professional Achievement Award
Who’s Who Among Students
in American Colleges and Universities
1997 Layperson of the Year - Trinity United Methodist Church – Durham, North
Carolina
Golden Key National Honor Society, The University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill, 1996
Delta Omega Public Health National Honor Society, UNC School of Public
Health, 1996
UNC Honors Program participant, 1992-1996
Personal Profile
In August of 2001, I moved from my comparatively small hometown in North
Carolina to the big city of Atlanta to begin Emory’s Physician Assistant
Program. Prior to that time, I had spent my entire life in the Triangle
area of central North Carolina – Durham, Chapel Hill, and Raleigh. I
graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1996 with a degree in
Health Policy and Administration. After graduation, I quickly realized that
I was much more interested in the clinical side of healthcare. For several
years, I worked for Orange County Emergency Medical Services responding to
911 calls and the Duke University Department of Medicine conducting clinical
research into two of the leading preventable causes of death in the United
States - obesity and tobacco abuse.
I was drawn to Emory because of the program’s focus on primary care in
underserved populations. Having worked extensively with low-income
populations as a Community Shelter Coordinator in North Carolina, Emory’s
mission struck a chord with me. Emory seemed a perfect fit – a feeling
which has turned out to be true for many reasons. While we were students at
Emory, I met my wife, who is also an Emory PA! After 28 months of training,
I graduated in December 2003, having developed an interest in Academic
Medicine. Still fresh from graduation, I began a full-time six-month Faculty
Fellowship with the PA program. And now, seven years later, I still believe
that I have found the perfect job combining all my interests in patient care
and academics. Three days per week, I am in clinical practice at the Emory
Flat Shoals Clinic, an outpatient family medicine setting. Two days each
week, I work at the PA program teaching our first year students a variety of
different clinical topics, conducting rotation site visits and Board review
sessions for clinical year students, and directing one of the senior year
courses.
My Interests
I grew up half way between the beach and the mountains – a great place for
my favorite hobbies – fishing, hiking, and skiing. However, once arriving
in Atlanta and discovering the many opportunities a metro area offers, I
have not looked back once although I still sneak away for a weekend in the
nearby mountains or at the coast as often as possible.
