Prepared for Life: Physician Assistant

Patrick Heagey ‘03

by Stephanie R. Leader

Patrick Heagey ‘03 fondly remembers his time at Delone Catholic High School. He participated in Spiritual Life by leading retreats, became involved in sports and the Athletic Training Club, and he particularly enjoyed his upper-level science courses; chemistry, and anatomy and physiology.

Nearly 20 years later, Heagey thanks his Delone Catholic education for his preparation in what has not only become his career but his life’s passion and calling. He has become a professor in the Physician Assistant Program at West Chester University in West Chester, Pa., and a physician assistant at Paoli Hospital in the western suburbs of Philadelphia. Heagey says that it all started when he was prompted to pick a club to join as a freshman at Delone Catholic High School.

“I remember seeing the Athletic Training Club. I thought, ‘I like sports, and medicine and healthcare interest me. I’m going to check this out,’” Heagey recalled. He credits Tony Smith ’86 and Matt Lawrence ’93, two former Delone Catholic athletic trainers as being a vital part of his blossoming interest in medicine, and showing him the ropes of athletic training as a high school student. In addition to involvement in sports and athletic training, Heagey remembers his involvement in Peer Ministry, leading retreats and helping his fellow classmates strengthen their relationship with God.

Following graduation in 2003, Heagey went on to study at Lock Haven University and graduated in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in health science and a concentration in athletic training. Heagey anticipated becoming an athletic trainer after college, but his goals changed when he was introduced to an athletic trainer who went back to school to become a physician assistant. When Heagey learned of all the different responsibilities you take on in that line of medicine, he was sold. “As a physician assistant, not only can you do orthopedics and sports medicine, but you can take care of patients, assist in the OR, read X-rays, and prescribe medication. There are a lot more possibilities than solely a focus on orthopedics.”

“I aspired to teach in a program that was up and coming so I could build the program from scratch.”

Following Heagey’s time at Lock Haven University, he applied to several PA programs and went on to enroll at King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and graduated with his master’s degree in physician assistant studies. It was from there that Heagey worked in emergency medicine, then discovered an interest in trauma and surgical care, advancing his specialties in medicine and ultimately inspiring Heagey to teach. He got his start as an adjunct professor in the physician assistant program at Arcadia University and then applied to West Chester University, where the physician assistant program was just starting out. “I aspired to teach in a program that was up and coming so I could build the program from scratch,” he said. “I knew what it was like to work in an established program and was excited to come on board and work for a university that was very excited and supportive of a brand-new program.”

When Heagey thinks back to his days at Delone Catholic High School, he remembers his science classes as laying the foundation for his knowledge in healthcare. “Miss Ruthann Pinkos definitely influenced me. In medicine, you have to have a strong background in science. She holds her students to very high standards. As a teenager, you need someone who is going to hold you accountable,” Heagey recalled. Heagey also fondly remembers Miss Anne Kerr, who taught Heagey at St. Joseph School in Hanover, Pa.

Now that Heagey is teaching his own students, he is inspired when a student who is struggling finally grasps a concept. “There was a student who was struggling academically and was worried about being successful, but when they started their clinical training they shined. I received a note thanking me for a job well done, and that they appreciated what I had taught them.”

Both student success and faith guide Heagey daily, “In the road of life there are going to be hills and valleys and a lot of things that are unexpected. You can turn to God and prayer as a way to form a connection that is going to move you forward in a positive direction,” he said. While not Catholic himself, Heagey says the Catholic faith and being a part of a community of believers motivates him.

“I am grateful for the Delone Catholic community and the fond memories I have looking back that shaped my future,” he said.