Dr. Patti Ragan joined the Elon Department of Physician Assistant (PA) Studies faculty in September 2011.  She brings a wealth of experience in clinical and public health education. She served as a faculty member at the University of Florida School of Physician Assistant Studies and at Shenandoah University, was the founding PA Program director at Southwest Missouri State University  (now Missouri State University) and has twice served as the interim program director at the UF School of Physician Assistant Studies.  Most recently prior to coming to Elon, she completed a two year fellowship in applied epidemiology with the Florida Department of Health Florida Epidemic Intelligence Program, and subsequently served as director of that program for the past four years. During that time, she has continued to teach evidence-based medicine and clinical epidemiology to physician assistant and public health students, and mentor PA program applicants.

She holds a PhD in Health Behavior from the University of Florida, a MPH from the University of South Carolina and a BS in Physician Assistant Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She has over 10 years clinical experience as a PA spanning a variety of disciplines, including cardiovascular thoracic surgery, invasive cardiology, infectious disease and psychiatry. Her academic and research interests include epidemiology, evidence-based medicine, and workforce development. Professional activities include accreditation and serving as a peer reviewer. She brings to Elon an expanded perspective on physician assistant education and a love for mentoring faculty and students. 

PhD - University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.

MPH - University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC.

BS - University of Wisconsin, Madision, WI.

Fellowship - completed two year applied epidemiology fellowship, Florida Epidemic Intelligence Service Program, Florida Department of Health, Tallahassee, FL.

Ragan P, Quincy B. (2013) Evidence-based medicine: Number-Needed-To-Treat: Translating Benefits and Risks of Therapy from Clinical Trials to a Clinical Encounter. JPAE. In press.

Quincy B, Ragan P. (2012) Increasing diagnostic certainty: The clinical value of the likelihood ratio. JPAE. 23(3):46-50.

Ragan P, Duffy DM. (2012) Enhancing childhood immunization coverage: addressing parents’ concerns about vaccines. JAAPA. 25(10):22-26.

Ragan P, Quincy B. (2012) Letter to the Editor Response: Evidence-based medicine: its roots and its fruits revisited, JPAE. 23(2):6-7.

Jain S, Benoit SR, Skarbinski J, Bramley AM, Finelli L, and the 2009 Pandemic Influenza A (H1N1) Virus Hospitalizations Investigations Team. (2012) Influenza-associated pneumonia among hospitalized patients with 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) virus, United States, 2009. Clinical Infectious Disease. 54(9);1221-9.

Ragan P, Quincy B. (2012) Evidence-based medicine: its roots and its fruits. JPAE. 23(1):39-42.

Skarbinski J, Jain S, Bramley A, Lee E, Huang J, Kirschke D, Stone A, Wedlake T, Richards S, Page S, Ragan P, et al. (2011) Severe Pandemic Influenza A (H1N1) Virus Infection – US, Fall 2009, Clinical Infectious Disease, 2011:52 (Supp 1), pg s50-59.

Doyle T, Hopkins R, and the Transmission Investigation Team: Dopico A, Harder T, Harper T, King, D, Mann P, Morgan A, Ragan P, Rivers S, Elliott K, &  Wansbrough L. (2010,   http://journals.cambridge.org/repo_A78pGlKi) Low secondary transmission of 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) in households following an outbreak at a summer camp: relation to timing of exposure. Epidemiology and Infection, UK.

Ragan P, Turner T. (2009) Working to prevent lead poisoning in children: Getting the lead out.  Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants 22(7):40-45.

Thompson ND, Hellinger WC, Kay RS, Cohen L, Ragan P, Voss RA, Xia G, Keating MR, Dickson RC, Hughes CB, Williams IT, Perz JF. (2009) Patient-to-Patient Hepatitis C Virus Transmission in an Abdominal Organ Transplant Service. Transplant Infectious Disease, 11(4):324-329.

Florida Department of Health Bureau of Epidemiology. (November, 2008) A Tale of Typhoid in South Florida. Epi-Update, (primary author).

Ragan P, Schulte J, Nelson S, Jones K. (2008) Mortality Surveillance: 2004 to 2005 Florida Hurricane-Related Deaths. American Journal of Forensic Medicine & Pathology, 29 (2):148-53.            

Florida Morbidity Statistics Report, 1997-2006. (2008) Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Epidemiology (contributing author). 

Ragan P, Rowan A, Schulte J, Weirsma S. (2008) Florida Epidemic Intelligence Service (FL-EIS) Program: The First Five Years, 2001-2006. Public Health Reports,123, Supplement 1:21-27.

Ragan P. (April, 2006) Community-Acquired Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus: An Update, Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants, 19 (4):24-29.

Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. (2006) Mortality Associated with Hurricane Katrina-Florida and Alabama, August-October, MMWR, 55:239-242. (primary co-author).

Ragan PD. (2004) Evidence Based Practice: Communicating Risk, Perspective on Physician Assistant Education, 14 (4): 256-258.

Ragan PD. (2003) Integrating Self-Assessment Skills into the Curriculum, Perspective on Physician Assistant Education, 14 (1): 50 -52.

Ragan PD.  (Nov., 2002) Team Africa 2002, The PA Examiner: A Publication for Missouri Physician Assistants, Alexandria, VA.

Ragan PD.  (April, 2002) Preventing Premature Cardiovascular Disease, The PA Examiner: A Publication for Missouri Physician Assistants, Alexandria, VA.

Ragan PD.  (Feb., 2001) Systematic Review of Chest Radiographs. The PA Examiner: A Publication for Missouri Physician Assistants, Alexandria, VA.

Ragan PD. (1997) AIDS Risk Denial and the Practice of Unsafe Sex to Support Relationship Expectations of Monogamy, Trust and Commitment in African American Women. (doctoral dissertation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.), U of Michigan Dissertation Abstracts.

Ragan PD. (1987) Targeting Adolescents for AIDS Education, Physician Assistant 11 (11):156 (ed.)

SELECTED PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATIONS

Cawley J, Ragan P, Jones E. (2012). The Peer Review Process: From Submission to Review
Part 2: Peer Review, PAEA Annual Meeting, Seattle WA.

Quincy B, Ragan P. (2012) Likelihood Ratios and Clinical Reasoning in PA Students. PAEA Annual Meeting, Seattle WA.

Ragan P, Kay R, Hilton, M. (2012) Florida Epidemic Intelligence Service Program Graduates: initial and current employment and career choices: Meeting the mission of increasing epidemiology capacity in public health, Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, Annual Meeting, Omaha, NE.

Sanderson R, Braithwaite L, Ball L, Ragan P, Eisenstein, L. (2010) An Outbreak of Carbapenemase-Producing Klebsiella pneumoniae Infections Associated with Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) Procedures at a Hospital, Association of Professionals in Infection Control Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA.

McCombs K, Ragan P, Hopkins R. (2010) Measuring a successful county health department epidemiology program, Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists Annual Meeting, Portland, OR. (poster presentation)

Ragan P, Schulte J, Sammet G, Jones K, Sanderson R. (2009) “Zebra” Surveillance: Surveillance of Mortality due to Rare Disease, Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists Annual Meeting, Buffalo, NY. (poster presentation)

Laidler M., Schulte J, Hamilton J, Kite-Powell A, Hopkins R, Ragan P. (2009) The Evolution of Public Health Surveillance for Disaster-Related Morbidity: The Florida Experience 2004-2009, Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists Annual Meeting, Buffalo, NY.

Koops G, Brusuelas  K , Ragan  P, Sage  M, George D, Robinson C, Lucas R. (2008) The Public Health Apprenticeship Program (PHAP): A Collaborative Workforce Development Initiative, American Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Symposium, San Diego, CA. (poster presentation)

Ragan P, Rowan A, Schulte J. Wiersma S. (2008) Florida Epidemic Intelligence Service(FL-EIS) Program: Strengthening State Epidemiologic Workforce Capacity, Council of Stateand Territorial Epidemiologists Annual Meeting, Denver, CO.

Ragan P, Schulte J, Murray M. (2008) Florida Youth Suicide in 2005: Ideation, Attempt and Completion, Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists Annual Meeting, Denver, CO.

Ragan P, Schulte J, Vanderwerf-Hourigan L, Lo M. (2007) Analysis of Florida Pool Drowning Deaths in Young Children, American Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Symposium, Washington, DC. (poster presentation)

Ragan P, Schulte J, Nelson S. (2006) 2004-2005 Florida Hurricane Mortality, American Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Symposium, Boston, MA.

Lavoie L, Sanderson R, Williamson, Urquhart K, Ragan P, Schulte J. (2006) Acute Hepatitis B Outbreak Associated with a Long-Term Care Facility, 11^th Annual Florida Department of Health Statewide Epidemiology Seminar, Tampa, FL. (poster presentation)

Rivers S, Novak R, Lavoie L, Marshall K, Sanderson R, Ragan P, Bower W. (2006) Locally Acquired Hepatitis E (HEV) in the United States – Florida 2005, 11^th Annual Florida Department of Health Statewide Epidemiology Seminar, Tampa, FL. (poster presentation)

Ragan P, Schulte J, Nelson, S. (2006) 2004-2005 Florida Hurricane Mortality (preliminary analysis), Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists Annual Meeting, Anaheim, CA.

Ragan P. (2005) Field Investigation: How to Investigate an Outbreak, Florida Department of Health Regional Training Seminar, Ocala, FL.

Ragan P. (2003) Emergent Infectious Diseases, National Athletic Trainer’s Association Annual Meeting, St Louis, MO.

Ragan P, Stevens ML. (2002) Debriefings: A Tool for Program Evaluation and Faculty Development, Association of Physician Assistant Programs Semi-Annual Meeting, Boston, MA.

Ragan P. (2001) Evidence Based Medicine. Missouri Academy of Physician Assistants Annual Meeting, Branson, MO.

Ragan P, Chen WW, Garvan C. (1999)  AIDS Risk Denial and the Practice of Unsafe Sex to Support Relationship Expectations in African American Women, American Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Symposium, Chicago, IL.

Ragan P, Greenlee JC, Thomas  JL. (1999) Faculty to Administrator: Mid-Career Transition,  American Association of Higher Education Conference on Faculty Roles and Rewards, San Diego, CA.

Accreditation Review Commission on the Education of Physician Assistants (ARC-PA) Site Visitor

Journal of Physician Assistant Education, editorial board member

Journal of Physician Assistant Education, review board member

Journal of Physician Assistant Education, feature co-editor, Evidence-Based Medicine