Vinh Dang, MPAS, PA-C, DFAAPA | Past President's Award

Immediate Past President Alicia Quella chose Vinh Dang as the recipient of the 2020 MAPA Past President’s Award -
Vinh Dang, MPAS, PA-C, DFAAPA earned a bachelor’s degree from Hamline University, holds a Master of Physician Assistant Sciences degree from St. Francis University in Pennsylvania, and participated in a surgical residency program with Yale University and Norwalk Hospital in Connecticut. He began his orthopaedic career in 2002 with Sports and Orthopaedic Specialists, where he now serves as a senior physician assistant. He is a mentor to physician assistant students and serves as an adjunct professor and preceptor at local PA programs. In 2017, Vinh was accepted as a Distinguished Fellow of the American Academy of Physician Assistants, an achievement achieved by less than 1% of actively practicing physician assistants. In his spare time, he coaches youth athletics and volunteers at the Minnesota charity, Bridging.

Message from Vinh:
“I am honored and humbled to have been chosen to receive this year’s President’s Award by Alicia Quella. There are so many deserving PAs statewide!

I have always believed you cannot be in this career and not be OF this career. Being OF this career means promoting our profession to the best of our individual abilities. For me, I was inspired by the PAs who were the torchbearers when I started 18 years ago. I met wonderful PAs, like Bev Kimball, Jeanne Szarzynski, Walt Rothwell and many more, who were a beacon of energy working tirelessly at the MAPA conferences and events. There are countless mentors and preceptors I would like to thank individually; and many I have sent emails/letters to. However, to thank them collectively, I choose to pay it forward. I try to be an impactful PA, promoting our profession by providing mentorship to aspirational PA students; meeting them for breakfast to answer questions, co-authoring for publication to improve their résumé and CASPA application, or assisting with mock interview questions. Each one of us can and should promote our profession. With many ways to be involved, please choose at least one way! Continue to pass the torch!”