Host: Josh Loew, PA-C, MPAS

Guests: Ashley Vitale, DHSc, PA-C, CPAAPA and Natalie Trueman, PA-C

In this special episode of the MAPA Podcast, host Josh Loew, PA-C sits down with Ashley Vitale, DHSc, PA-C, CPAAPA, recipient of MAPA’s 2025 Preceptor of the Year Award. Ashley shares her journey as a surgical PA with Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato and reflects on nearly two decades of mentoring PA students.
The conversation explores why precepting is essential to the future of the PA profession, how mentoring students has shaped Ashley’s own clinical practice, and what makes a truly great preceptor. Ashley offers candid insights into surgical education, adaptability in clinical training, and the powerful two-way relationship between students and preceptors.

Josh also speaks with Natalie Trueman, PA-C, MAPA’s 2025 PA of the Year, to discuss her journey into hospital medicine, what meaningful patient care looks like in practice, and how recognition can help sustain clinicians through burnout.
Natalie reflects on her path to becoming a PA, her role as a hospitalist at Regions Hospital and Methodist Hospital, and the privilege of caring for patients from all walks of life. She shares powerful insights on goals-of-care conversations, end-of-life decision making, mentorship, and the importance of honoring patient dignity.

In this episode of MAPA’s Podcast Collection, host Josh Loew, PA-C sits down with retired PA Robert Carlson, PA-C (Health Partners Center for International Health, Health Partners Infectious Disease Clinic, Ramsey County Public Health) and certified medical interpreter Mitzi Vasquez, CMI for an insightful conversation about working effectively with medical interpreters.

Rob shares more than two decades of clinical experience serving refugee and immigrant communities in Minnesota, while Mitzi brings the perspective of a first-generation Mexican-American who has been interpreting, first informally, then professionally, for most of her life.

Together, they explore the essential role interpreters play in patient care, the legal responsibilities involved, best practices for clinicians, and the challenges of both in-person and remote interpreting. This episode is filled with practical advice, personal stories, and guidance for providers wanting to improve communication, cultural competency, and patient outcomes.

Host: Josh Loew, PA-C, MPAS
Guest: Becky Ness, PA-C

In this episode of the MAPA Podcast, host Josh Loew sits down with Becky Ness, PA-C, to unpack the details and impact of Minnesota’s 2080 Hour Rule, an important part of PA legislation that shapes how Physician Assistants practice across the state.

Together, they explore:

• The purpose and history behind the 2080 Hour Rule
• The difference between a collaborative agreement and a practice agreement
• The recent legislative changes affecting PA practice in Minnesota
• How MAPA’s advocacy efforts including grassroots engagement, PA Day on the Hill, and legislative partnerships helped bring these changes to life
• Ways that Minnesota PAs can get involved to continue supporting MAPA’s mission and future legislative wins

Whether you’re a practicing PA, a student, or simply interested in how state-level legislation influences the profession, this episode provides valuable insight into how collaboration, advocacy, and leadership continue to advance PA practice in Minnesota.