Physician Assistant Program Faculty

Chair and Program Director
Sullivan University Physician Assistant Program
Phone: 502-413-8653
gparuch@sullivan.edu

Education
Master in Health Science
Pacific University, 2003

Bachelor of Science and PA Certificate
Long Island University/The Brooklyn Hospital Center, 1977

Bachelor of Arts
Marietta College

Associates of Arts
Centenary College for Women

Areas of interest
The history of the physician assistant profession
Gastroenterology

Biography
Gretchen (Picking) Paruch has spent her PA career promoting the development of the physician assistant profession and the training of physician assistants. In recognition of this lifelong endeavor, in 2007, Arcadia University established the Gretchen M. Paruch Award for Humanitarian Service which is presented yearly at the University's Award Convocation.

She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Physician Assistant Studies from Long Island University/The Brooklyn Hospital Center (LIU/TBHC) Physician Assistant Program in 1977. She practiced clinically in both family practice and surgery in New York City for two years, before joining the faculty of her alma mater in 1979. While at LIU/TBHC she served as the Pre-professional Coordinator for 18 years. In 1996, she and her husband, a surgical Physician Assistant, relocated to New Hope, Pennsylvania when she joined the faculty of the newly established Department of Physician Assistant Studies at then, Beaver College, now Arcadia University. She was quite instrumental in the initial stages of the development of the program, including the introduction of early "hands-on" clinical experiences for first year PA students.

Ms. Paruch completed her Master's Degree Program for Physician Assistants offered by Pacific University in 2003 and is distinguished as being a member of their first class.

In the fall of 2010 she came out of retirement to join the faculty at Salus University as the Academic Coordinator of the Physician Assistant Program. Ms. Paruch held that position until she relocated to Louisville, to head the development of the Physician Assistant Program at Sullivan University College of Health Science.

She continues to be dedicated to quality PA education as well as ongoing program development and improvement. Her major area of interest includes the history of the Physician Assistant profession and is serving a second term as a member of the Board of Trustees of The Society for the Preservation of Physician Assistant History. She is proud of her early roots in the profession and endeavors to preserve the history of the profession for future generations of physician assistants. Her other area of interest is the role of non-physician clinicians in the delivery of health care which was the subject of her Master's thesis.

Medical Director
Sullivan University Physician Assistant Program
Phone: 502-413-8659

Education
University of Louisville School of Medicine MD 1983
University of Louisville College of Business MBA 2012

Training
University Of Louisville, Internal Medicine, 1983-1986
Vanderbilt University, Gastroenterology, 1986-1988

Areas of interest
Liver disease and viral hepatitis
Medical Ethics
Business of Medicine, Quality and Safety
Travel and Deployment Medicine

Biography
Dr. Martin has devoted the majority of his career to education and training of Medical Students, Residents and Gastroenterology Fellows. He is a faculty member at the University of Louisville, School of Medicine (currently Gratis). He was the Gastroenterology and Hepatology Fellowship Director for many years before becoming the Medical Director of the Sullivan University Physician Assistant Program. He also served the University of Louisville in capacity as an advisory Dean mentoring Medical Students during their professional school studies. He graduated from the University of Louisville MBA program in May 2012.

Dr. Martin served over 30 years in the US Army Reserve with 4 deployments to Iraq for Operation Desert Storm in 1990, Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2004 and 2007-2008, and Operation New Dawn in 2011. He has held a variety of posts including the Deputy Commander of Clinical Services 325th Combat Support Hospital 2007- 2008, Division Surgeon 100th Division, and Command Flight Surgeon 11th Aviation Command.

Dr. Martin's current clinical interests include the clinical and business integration of medicine, travel medicine, tropical diseases of the third world and impact of PTSD on the GI tract. Dr. Martin's current clinical practice includes the OIC of the Medical Subspecialty Clinic at Ireland Army Community Hospital and Staff Gastroenterologist at Ireland Army Community Hospital.

Academic Coordinator
Sullivan University Physician Assistant Program
Phone: 502-413-8987
mwhitaker@sullivan.edu

Education
Bachelor of Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
Master of Physician Assistant Studies, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI

Areas of interest
Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Rheumatology

Biography
Mrs. Whitaker (Cofer) is from the Louisville area. She received a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a minor in Psychology from the University of Kentucky in 2004. She was a part of the Honors Program during her time at the University of Kentucky. She was also initiated into Kappa Delta Sorority and Omicron Delta Kappa, a national leadership honor society. She graduated from Grand Valley State University in 2008 with a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies.

Following graduation, she returned to Louisville to practice medicine. She has worked as a Physician Assistant in pediatrics, pain management, rheumatology, and family medicine. She currently has a clinical site with Vintage Care, Inc., in which she visits geriatric patients at local rehab and long-term care facilities.

Mrs. Whitaker accepted an adjunct faculty position with Sullivan University College of Pharmacy in March 2012. She then moved into an assistant faculty position with Sullivan University College of Pharmacy's Clinical and Administrative Sciences department. She now serves as the Academic Coordinator for the Physician Assistant Program. Prior to coming to Sullivan, she assisted the University of Kentucky's Physician Assistant Program with interviewing potential students and guest lecturing.

She is a fellow for the American Academy of Physician Assistants and Kentucky Academy of Physician Assistants. She is a nationally certified and Kentucky State licensed Physician Assistant. She is committed to advancing the Physician Assistant profession in Louisville and the state of Kentucky.

Clinical Coordinator
Sullivan University Physician Assistant Program
Phone: 502-413-8654
sgaskins@sullivan.edu

Education
Bachelor of General Studies, University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences, 1985
Bachelor of Health Sciences, University of Kentucky College of Health Sciences, 1987
Master of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Nebraska, 2003

Areas of interest
Christianity, Family, Physician Assistant Practice/Education, Integration of faith in daily life.

Biography
Mr. Gaskins joined the Sullivan University Physician Assistant Program faculty in November 2012 as clinical coordinator. His prior experience is in general medicine, pediatrics, family planning, and public health clinics as well as extensive experience in urgent care, occupational medicine and emergency medicine.

He served as president of the Kentucky Academy of Physician Assistants (KAPA) 2003-2004 and as chairman of the KAPA Government Affairs Committee from 2006-2012. He also served as Vice-Chairman of the Physician Assistant Advisory Committee to the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure 2004-2011.

Mr. Gaskins was recognized by University of Kentucky's College of Health Sciences as Outstanding Alumni in April 2007 and inducted into the University of Kentucky College of Health Sciences Hall of Fame in October 2007.

For his years of service to the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure Physician Assistant Advisory Committee and his service in KAPA, Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear commissioned him as a Kentucky Colonel in 2011 and 2012.

Mr. Gaskins is pleased to be part of an excellent group at Sullivan University Physician Assistant Program and eager to promote the physician / PA team concept to enhance the availability of high quality health care everywhere.

Assistant Professor and Basic Sciences Coordinator
Sullivan University Physician Assistant Program
Phone: 502-413-8309
amoktar@sullivan.edu

Education
Bachelor of Science in Nursing, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Bachelor of Health Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY
Executive Master of Business Administration, Bellarmine University, Louisville, KY
Bachelor of Science, Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY
Doctor of Philosophy, Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY

Area of interest
Pharmacology, Pathophysiology

Biography
Dr. Moktar began her medical career as a nurse. Her desire to make a sustainable difference in her patients' lives coincided with a turning point in her life; her emigration to the United States. She furthered her education and attained a BSH in cytotechnology, graduating with highest honors. This new knowledge gave her a different perspective of the changes that occur in disease process, those that occur at a cellular level. Using her degree in cytotechnology, Dr. Moktar began her teaching career at the University of Louisville as an instructor in their cytotechnology program. While still teaching, Afsoon received her MBA degree from Bellarmine University, giving her a greater appreciation of the business aspect of the medical field. Dr. Moktar continued her education and received her MS and PhD. in pharmacology and toxicology from the University of Louisville. Her Ph.D. dissertation was titled "Cigarette Smoke, DNA Damage and Repair in Human Cervical and Vaginal Cells in Vitro and Ex Vivo." Afsoon would like to utilize her clinical background as a nurse, leadership and managerial skills as a MBA graduate, and critical thinking and problem solving skills as a research scientist to contribute in the development and advancement of Physician Assistant profession by being a part of the dynamic team at Sullivan University College of Health Sciences.

Director of Program Assessment
Sullivan University Physician Assistant Program
Phone: 502-413-8953
akoomer@sullivan.edu

Education
University of Missouri - Kansas City
Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences

University of Calcutta - West Bengal, India
M.S. in Biochemistry

Area of interest
Physical Pharmacy, Pharmacogenomics, and Analytical Chemistry

Biography
Dr. Koomer obtained his B.S. in Chemistry from Presidency College in Calcutta, India in 1995, his M.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Calcutta in Calcutta, India in 1997, and his Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences in 2006 from the University of Missouri in Kansas City. Dr. Koomer joined the Pacific University School of Pharmacy in March 2006, and has been actively involved in various functions of that new program. He has an active interest in research and has participated in graduate research as a junior research scientist at different pharmaceutical companies and labs throughout the country. He has 9 research projects completed and ongoing during the last 3 years, and has made numerous presentations (7) and published numerous papers (9) since obtaining his Ph.D. degree in 2006.

Administrative Assistant
Sullivan University Physician Assistant Program
Phone: 502-413-8659
mcalhoun@sullivan.edu

Biography
Mary joined the Physician Assistant Program at Sullivan University College of Health Sciences as an Administrative Assistant in November 2012.

Mary received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Spalding University in 1994. Since that time Mary has supported corporate level executives in health care, aviation and private industry. Prior to beginning work at Sullivan University, she served as Faculty Secretary in the School of Education and the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at Bellarmine University.