Q&A with Sarah Grissom, PA-C - Physician Assistant

This post is part of a series of Q&As with some of the One Medical Family Practice team. Find links to all the interviews here.

Sarah Grissom, PA-C | Physician Assistant | Park Slope in Brooklyn

What is your training background as a Physician Assistant?

I studied at Marquette University in Wisconsin for both my undergrad and graduate degrees. As a Physician Assistant (PA), I underwent several years of rigorous medical training and clinical internships in a variety of medical specialties including Pediatric and Family Medicine. I have since worked in many different locations and settings including: Wisconsin, North Carolina, on an Airforce Base, a rural village in Uganda, and both hospital and clinic settings in New York.

Why did you choose your specialty?

I chose to be a PA a little bit by accident. I knew I always wanted to go into medicine, but I thought for a while that I wanted to be a physician. I attended an open house day at my university and ended up in a session about PAs. I learned that PAs study in programs that are modeled after medical school programs. The difference is our schooling is a bit shorter, and we graduate with a Master’s instead of a medical degree (MD). We’re able to do most of the same things that physicians can, which surprises some people!

What can you do within the scope of pediatric care?

I am able to care for any primary care pediatric concern. I do everything from newborn evaluations once they are discharged from the hospital to seeing teenagers with complicated emotional concerns. I love the variety of being a PA and enjoy developing relationships with families while watching their little ones grow up!

What is your favorite children’s book?

I spent a bit of my childhood in rural Minnesota, so books were my door to exciting adventures! My favorite was Charlotte’s Web. I begged my parents for a pet pig for months! I never did get a little piggy friend, though, sadly.