Cowan wins award

    The Rural Physician Assistant of the Year Award is presented each year to a Maine physician assistant in recognition of dedicated service to a rural community, both as a health care provider and as a citizen.
    This year’s award went to Matthew Cowan, PA-C who has worked at the Arnold Memorial Medical Center, in Jonesport, for the last nine years. Cowan is a former student of SAD 42. He has been married to his wife of 10 years, Molly. They have a daughter, Taylor.
    Cowan has been a PA in Maine since graduating from Alderson-Broaddus College 11 years ago. Prior to PA school, he was an x-ray tech which has proved to be another valuable skill for the practice.
    Cowan is well-grounded and talks frankly with his patients, but has a caring, non-oppressive style which has earned him the respect of his patients, who frequently request to be seen by ‘Dr. Matt.’ House calls are part of his routine as well. According to his supervising physician, boss and friend, Steven Weisberger, D.O., Cowan schedules his house visits to coincide with the lunch hour because patients often like to visit and share their noontime meals with him. The practice is located in the poorest county in Maine and one of the poorest in the country, but he is diligent in his goal to provide health care to all, regardless of ability to pay. He is relentless in pursuing Patient Assistance Prescriptions, and is merciless when it comes to hounding pharmaceutical reps for extra samples for patients who have no insurance.
    Equipped with a great sense of humor, his non-judgmental demeanor allows him to provide care based on science and not on attitude or finances. He is well-liked by the staff and has earned their respect as a provider of quality health care – some even use him as their primary care provider. He is a major trainer for the health center’s staff in the use of the electronic medical records. He is passionate in his use of the EMR in advocating for promoting quality improvement in the office. He often works on his ideas at home and, once he has a problem solved, is eager to share with the rest of the staff.
    Cowan coaches the local youth soccer team that his daughter participates in, which also assures that a medical person is available in case of emergencies, and he participates in training the local teachers to help prepare them for emergencies which might occur in the classroom. In addition, he is a well-respected woodworker in his community. He has an extraordinary natural talent for working with wood – whether just working with a lathe or building a building.
    It was with a great deal of pride that the Maine Association of Physician Assistants presented this year’s Rural PA of the Year award to Matthew Cowan.