Clinic Welcomes New Physician Assistant
Posted on Wednesday, March 11th, 2009
Nathan Murray
A new physician’s assistant has joined Mercy Health/Love County Hospital, Clinic and EMS.
Nathan Murray feels right at home, he said, seeing 15-20 patients per day, mostly children, since coming on duty in January at the clinic.
“The community has been more than welcoming to me. I’m a pretty big country boy. I like to hunt and fish and I wanted a small-town setting,” he said.
Murray, 25, is a recent graduate of the PA Program at the OU Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City. He received a Master of Health Sciences degree.
Murray works Tuesday-Friday and fills in occasionally in the emergency room. His patient services so far have leaned toward the everyday illnesses of the younger crowd. “I got especially good training in pediatrics and feel comfortable with children,” he said.
He pays close attention to his own health by working out several days a week at the YMCA in Ardmore and watching what he eats.
Promoting exercise and curbing the intake of high-calorie foods is something all families and communities could benefit from doing. “Marietta needs a fitness center,” he declared.
Murray won a state championship in powerlifting in 2001 and was state runner-up in 2002, the year he graduated from Sulphur High School. He also wrestled and played football.
He is a bow-hunter who loves deer season and has begun making annual treks to Colorado for elk.
A strong student – he finished above a 3.8 grade point average in PA school – Murray landed a place in the 50-member class of 2008 on the first try from among hundreds of applicants.
The highly-competitive training combines 17 months of intensive education in physiology, anatomy, pharmacology – about 75% of the medical curriculum of first and second year medical students -- with 13 months of clinical rotations in participating hospitals and clinics around the state.
Two months’ experience in the local emergency room last spring gave Murray valuable insight. “The four doctors provide really good physician coverage. They are all very kind and helpful and willing to give direction. Though I had several opportunities in other communities, Tad (Hall) and Richard (Barker) constantly let me know that I was wanted.”
Physician assistants are trained to make decisions, diagnose, and treat, but always practice under a physician-supervisor.
Murray studied pre-med and business at East Central University from 2002-2006.
He grew up in a family of medical professionals, including a pharmacist mother and a father in medical equipment sales.