Physician Assistant

Missions Statement

The South University Physician Assistant (MSPA) exists to educate a diverse student population as providers of high-quality, cost-efficient health care who will make a positive impact while practicing the art and science of medicine with physician collaboration.

Vision Statement

The South University Master of Science in Physician Assistant (PA) degree program strives to provide educational experiences where faculty, staff, clinical instructors, students, and other health care providers work together in an atmosphere of mutual respect, cooperation, and commitment. The program’s primary focus is on the development of physician assistants capable of expanding into clinical leadership roles by demonstrating proficiency in critical thinking and creative problem solving, utilizing evidence-based skills gained through innovative approaches.

Physician Assistant Program Faculty

Thomas J. Williams, MHP, PA-C
Program Director, Assistant Professor

Mr. Williams has been Program Director at South University, Tampa since 2016.  A native of New England, he graduated from Colby College in 1983 with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and French.  After graduating from the Northeastern University Physician Assistant Program in 1986, he practiced in a variety of internal medicine fields:  neurology and head injury, nephrology/dialysis, pulmonary medicine, oncology and cardiology.  In 1994, Mr. Williams joined the faculty of his alma mater as Educational Coordinator of physician assistant didactic studies.  While at NU, he also was involved in the education of athletic trainers during their junior year. 
In 2009, he moved from Boston to assist in the development of the South University, Tampa program as the Academic Director.  Since entering academia, he has taught a multitude of topics including medical interviewing skills, physical exam techniques, EKG interpretation, and clinical medicine in nearly every system of the body.  
Mr. Williams previously served as a board member and secretary for the Massachusetts Board of Physician Assistants for nearly a decade.  He has been a clinical preceptor for nearly 30 years.  He has given lectures at the state and national level and for many student groups interested in the profession.  A former director of rehabilitation, his interests in medicine include medical and physical rehabilitation.

Scott French, MPAS, PA-C
Director of Clinical Education, Assistant Professor

Mr. French has been Director of Clinical Education at South University, Tampa for the past 7 years. He graduated from Nova Southeastern University with a Bachelor of Science in Physician Assistant Studies in 1999.  He later attended University of Nebraska, received a Master’s of Physician Assistant Studies in 2001, and then completed a post-graduate certification program at Duke University in Occupational and Environmental Medicine in 2002.  Mr. French went on to practice family and pediatric medicine in the Tampa area.  He started his own practice in family and pediatric medicine in Wimauma, FL in 2005, treating socioeconomically disadvantaged and indigent patients. 
Working over 20 years in medicine, Mr. French cumulatively has been a preceptor for thousands of PA students from various programs across the country.  Showing his passion for educating the next generation of PAs, he teaches basic medical skills and advocates for the profession at various local middle and high schools.
Mr. French is a veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard and Army Reserves from 1990-2012.  He deployed for Operation Iraqi Freedom in 1990 and Operation Noble Eagle in 2001.  During his deployments, he had experience in drug interdictions, sea rescues, humanitarian aid operations in foreign countries, and in the treatment of many combat wounds.  He brings these skills and experiences to the classroom in teaching family practice medicine, orthopedics, pediatrics, and physical assessment techniques. 
 


LaBree Hans, MSPAP, PA-C
Director of Admissions, Assistant Professor

Ms. Hans, although originally from Illinois, grew up in the Tampa Bay area. She earned a Bachelor of Science at University of South Florida.  In 2005, she completed her Masters of Science in Physician Assistant Practice from Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science in Chicago. LaBree has over 14 years of clinical experience in emergency medicine. During this time, she discovered a passion for wilderness and travel medicine, becoming certified in Advance Wilderness Life Support. She has practiced wilderness medicine at a bush clinic in Kenya.
In 2010, she joined the faculty of South University, Tampa as an assistant professor teaching on such topics as emergency medicine, clinical procedures, ethics, radiology, dermatology and rheumatology.  She became the Director of Admission for the program in 2013.  She continues to practice clinically in emergency medicine at one of the trauma centers in Tampa.
Ms. Hans is an active member of the Florida Academy of Physician Assistants (FAPA), the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA), the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA), and the Wilderness Medical Society (WMS).
She lives in Tampa with her husband and white terrier. She enjoys hobbies such as hiking and travel. 

Karen Wilcox, MMS, PA-C
Director of Didactic Education, Assistant Professor

Ms. Wilcox has lived and worked in the Tampa Bay area for the past 14 years. Originally from New York, she received her Bachelor of Science degree from Loyola College in Maryland in 2002.  She graduated from Nova Southeastern University-Fort Lauderdale in 2005 with both a Bachelor of Science in Physician Assistant Studies and a Master of Medical Science degree.  Upon graduation, she began her clinical career in family practice/urgent care and quickly developed a passion for wellness and prevention.  Ms. Wilcox worked for 3 years in integrative medicine before joining South University, in 2011, at first, as an adjunct professor, and in 2016 as full-time faculty.  Her teaching/academic interests include otolaryngology, endocrinology, and women’s health.  She continues to practice clinically in urgent care. 

Ms. Wilcox is an active member of the Florida Academy of Physician Assistants (FAPA), the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA), and the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA). She lives in Tampa with her husband and three boys. 

Amy Nichols, MMS, PA-C
Assistant Professor

Ms. Nichols joined the South University, Tampa Physician Assistant program in February 2017, after spending eight years in clinical practice as a physician assistant in internal medicine.  She earned a Master of Medical Science degree in 2008 from Nova Southeastern University, and transitioned into academia in 2017 with the passion to teach and share knowledge gained from clinical practice.
Ms. Nichols graduated from the University of Pittsburgh magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Science.  She was a four-year letter winner on the swimming team, and served as captain in her last two years of college.
At South University, she lectures in a number of courses including: Physical Diagnosis and Labs, Clinical Medicine and Pharmacotherapeutics and Labs, Behavioral Medicine, and Medical Interviewing and Documentation.  She also schedules and coordinates lectures for the students returning from their clinical rotations, and enjoys preparing them for their transition to practice.  In addition, she is a Fellow member of both the Florida Academy of Physician Assistants and the American Academy of Physician Assistants.
Ms. Nichols resides in Tampa with her husband and two children.  They enjoy spending time outdoors and all water-related activities.

Jennifer Pantaleo, MPAS, PA-C
Assistant Professor

Ms. Pantaleo joined South University as an Assistant Professor in 2016.  Since that time, she has been active in both didactic and clinical education within the program.  As a graduate of the South University Tampa PA program class of 2014, Ms. Pantaleo brings more than 5 years of clinical experience specializing in family practice and urgent care.  She has a strong interest in preventative medicine and the management of diabetes mellitus.  
Prior to practicing as a Physician Assistant, Ms. Pantaleo obtained a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences with a Minor in Public Health from the University of South Florida in 2011. She is a current member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants and the Florida Academy of Physician Assistants.  In addition to her regular teaching duties, Ms. Pantaleo has lectured at the state level for the Florida Academy of Physician Assistants and has served as the Student Faculty Liaison for the program.  She is also passionate about speaking to local pre-PA organizations in the Tampa Bay area and serving as a preceptor for pre-PA and PA students on her clinical days.

Elliot E. Cazes, MD
Medical Director

Dr. Cazes has been the Medical Director of the Physician Assistant Program at South University since July 2018. He is originally from the Northeast, having grown up in the Trenton, NJ area. He completed his undergraduate work at the University of Connecticut, graduating with a Bachelor’s of Science in Microbiology.  He then attended Georgetown University, completing research and a Master’s degree in Physiology.  Dr. Cazes graduated from the University of Maryland School of Medicine and spent an additional 4 years completing a residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology.  After completing his residency in 1995, Dr. Cazes moved to Tampa where he entered into private practice in Ob/Gyn.  He has been in private practice for 25 years.  Dr. Cazes lives in Tampa, with his wife.  He has four grown children scattered throughout the U.S.
Since early in his medical career, Dr. Cazes has had a passion for teaching.  Over the years, he has taught Students from several different universities in the area.  He has been involved with the education of South University students for the past several years.  In addition to serving as a preceptor during clinical rotations, he also gives didactic lectures throughout the year, and he is involved in the PA program admissions process.  
Dr. Cazes also spends time lecturing throughout the U.S. on a variety of topics, including breast cancer, hereditary cancer screening, endometriosis and pelvic pain, and menopause.  He remains involved with several different clinical trials at his practice site.

Physician Assistant Program Staff

Tiffany Nelson
Administrative Assistant

Ms. Nelson joined South University, Tampa Physician Assistant Program in March 2011. She began her tenure assisting with the admissions review process and data collection. Her role has since evolved into the oversight of logistics of the program with a focus on projects and clinical administrative support. Ms. Nelson has also assisted with the coordination of several successful accreditation visits for the program.  
As the clinical support staff, she facilitates affiliation agreement acquisition and maintains student records. She is the liaison for the department and the clinical site administrators. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two sons.


Amanda M. Davis
Administrative Assistant

Ms. Davis worked as a medical assistant in pediatrics for over six years before joining the South University, Tampa Physician Assistant Program team in July 2018. She assists with the admission review, data collection, and as overall liaison for the program. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends and creating crafts on her circuit machine.

The clinical phase is 12 months in length. Eight five-week clinical rotations are conducted at a variety of clinical sites. Students will gain clinical exposure in the following disciplines: Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, General Surgery, Pediatrics, Women's Health, Behavioral Medicine, Emergency Medicine and the Clinical Elective.

Clinical sites are recruited by the Program’s Clinical Department and personnel from the Area Health Education Center (AHEC). Sites offer the students the wide variety of clinical experiences for that specific clinical rotation (course) and service delivery system. Students are not required to supply their own clinical sites or preceptors for clinical rotations. Sites for rotations will be determined by the department. Alternate rotation sites may be provided by the student to the Clinical Department personnel. Clinical Department personnel will evaluate sites suggested by students for viability as a clinical rotation site. In order to qualify for rotations outside of South University sites, or in student suggested sites, a student must demonstrate successful academic, clinical, and professional progress in the program.

The South University Physician Assistant program immunization policy is aligned with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Healthcare Personnel Vaccination Recommendations for health professionals. After acceptance into the program, but before registration can be successfully completed, all students must complete the South University Health Requirements. Be aware that additional immunizations may be required by some clinical training sites and are the students’ responsibility. If students choose not to be vaccinated, they will not be allowed to rotate at clinical sites that require immunizations unless expressly permitted in writing to the program by the appropriate personnel at that site. If any of the core (required) rotations cannot be completed because the student voluntarily chose not to be vaccinated as required by the clinical rotation site, the student will not be eligible for graduation from the Physician Assistant program. In addition, if the number of clinical sites available to students who have not been vaccinated does not meet graduation requirements, those students will not be eligible for graduation from the Physician Assistant program.

Physicians, physician assistants, and other health care providers serve as preceptors for clinical students in direct patient care, providing the opportunity for the student to perfect technical and procedural skills, and to become competent in communication, physical diagnosis, succinct recording and reporting, problem assessment, and development of a logical approach to further studies and therapy.

The following are the program learning outcomes (Graduate Competencies) for the South University Physician Assistant program. Prior to graduation from the program, students will:

• PLO-1. Integrate behavioral, social, and medical knowledge established from the evolving biomedical and clinical sciences in recognizing, evaluating, and managing patient disease states across the lifespan during acute, chronic, preventative, and emergent encounters..
• PLO-2. Demonstrate the interpersonal and communication skills required to sustain effective, multi-directional information exchange within a diverse population of patients, their caregivers, and members of the healthcare team.
• PLO-3. Demonstrate the ability to elicit an accurate patient history, perform an appropriate physical examination, and perform appropriate clinical procedures using essential clinical and technical skills to provide quality patient care.
• PLO-4. Collaborate effectively as part of an interdisciplinary healthcare team through clinical reasoning and problem-solving skills to formulate a logical differential diagnosis, select and interpret appropriate diagnostic studies, and synthesize a comprehensive, patient-centered management plan for the promotion of wellness and disease prevention.
• PLO-5. Demonstrate the ability to interpret and integrate an evidence-based approach to clinical and professional practice through clinical reasoning, problem- solving, and decision-making processes to improve patient care practices.
• PLO-6. Demonstrate professionalism through personal behaviors, sensitivity, and accountability essential to patients, society, and the profession.