Charity Ramsey Irizarry is a Physician Associate and Associate Professor with 24 years of experience in clinical medicine, medical education, and academic leadership. She is the founding Associate Program Director of the Touro University Montana PA Hybrid Program in Great Falls, MT where she is especially proud to expand PA education opportunities in her home state of Montana. A Distinguished Fellow of the American Academy of Physician Associates, she is dedicated to advancing PA education and mentoring the next generation of PAs.
Her clinical background includes Internal Medicine, Women’s Health, and Family Medicine. She began her academic career at Barry University in Miami, Florida, where she directed courses in Physical Diagnosis, Women’s Health and Clinical Genetics, as well as the Physical Diagnosis course for podiatric medicine students.
From 2014–2019, she served as Director of Clinical Education, overseeing PA student clinical rotations across Florida, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and nationally. She later became the founding Program Director of the San Juan Bautista School of Medicine PA Program, launching Puerto Rico’s first PA program in 2020. She has also directed didactic courses at Touro University California-Los Angeles PA Program, in Physical Diagnosis, Women’s Health, and Clinical Procedures.
Education
- DPA, Touro University Nevada, 2024
- MS, Clinical Medical Science, Barry University, 2001
- BS, Biological Sciences, Montana State University, 1996
Certifications
NCCPA Certified
Honors and Awards
- Distinguished Fellow of the American Academy of Physician Associates, 2024
- Outstanding Leadership Award, Touro University, November 2022
Research
Doctoral scoping literature research: Advancing population-based genetic screening for CDC Tier 1 genomic conditions: Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer, Lynch Syndrome and Familial Hypercholesterolemia
Publications
- DC Parkhurst, CM Ramsey. "The marriage of problem-based learning with standardized patients: An evaluation of physician assistant students' cultural competency in communication." The Journal of Physician Assistant Education 17 (1), 58-62, 2006
- K Weikel, L Juarez, CMR Irizarry. "PAs in Puerto Rico: How: asociados médicos: are persevering through restrictive practice laws." JAAPA 35 (9), 59-61, 2022
Professional Service
- Patient Advocate Leader Medical Representative Volunteer: “FORCE: Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered”, August 2023-Present
- Advocating at the state and national level with lawmakers for the needs of the hereditary cancer community
- ePoster Presentation at the 2019 AAPA conference in Denver, Colorado titled: A Case Study of a Hurricane Challenge in PA Education; reflecting on the impact of Hurricanes Irma and Maria
- CME lecture series titled Update on Women’s Health at the 2016 Winter and Summer Florida Academy of PAs (FAPA) State Symposiums
Memberships and Affiliations
- American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA)
- Physician Assistant Educators Association (PAEA)
- Academy of Doctoral PAs (ADPA)
Teaching Responsibilities
- MTPA 505 & 505L Health History and Physical Diagnosis Lecture and Skills Lab I
- MTPA 507 & 507L Health History and Physical Diagnosis Lecture and Skills Lab II
- MTPA 513 Clinical Medicine IV (Correlative Medicine)
- MTPA 530 Essential Diagnostic Modalities and Clinical Procedures
- MTPA 540 Obstetrics and Gynecology and Women’s Health
- MTPA 702/703 Master's Capstone
- MTPA 750 Preparation for Clinical Practice/ Summative Exam
Hobbies
In addition to her academic work, Charity Ramsey Irizarry is an accomplished mixed-media artist, creating vibrant paintings and mosaics on canvases and surfboards, with her work featured in South Florida exhibits.
