The Fortanasce – Purino Neurology Center is pleased to have on its staff Patricia Talaro, a very experienced, motivated hard working Physician Assistant whose primary goal is to assist patients in attaining optimal health by providing compassionate, high quality and effective patient care.

Patricia received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) in 2001. She received her Master’s degree in Physician Assistant Studies at the Univeristy of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah in 2007.

Her extensive clinical experience includes a broad range of areas including:

• Primary Care at the University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics where she treated a diverse case load of adult and pediatric patients with acute and chronic illnesses.
• General Surgery and Plastic Surgery at the Salt Lake Regional Medical Center where she performed history and physical examination including assessment of surgical candidates. She assisted in various surgical procedures including: mastectomy, herniorrhaphy, cholecystectomy, breast augmentation, abdominoplasty, and rhytidectomy.
• Internal Medicine/Primary Care at the Fourth Street Homeless Clinic in Salt Lake City, Utah where she treated homeless adult patients with severe chronic illnesses including diabetes, cirrhosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hepatitis, and atrial fibrillation.
• Geriatrics at various skilled nursing facilities in Salt Lake City, Utah where she provided quality care to elderly patients with cognitive disabilities and/or chronic illnesses, who reside in an intermediate care or retirement facility.
• Dermatology at the University of Utah where she diagnosed and managed skin disorders including performing various skin biopsy techniques.
• Women’s Health at the University of Utah Hospitals where she provided age appropriate prevention screening and health maintenance for women. Patricia treated women’s health problems including abnormal PAP smears, menstrual disorders, and sexually transmitted diseases as well as provided prenatal and postpartum care.
• Emergency Medicine at the University of Utah Emergency Department where she evaluated and initially managed a variety of medical and surgical cases including diabetic coma, deep vein thrombosis and appendicitis.
• Occupational Medicine at the University of Utah where she treated patients with work-related injuries and performed employment physicals.
• Urgent Care at the University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics where she managed acute minor medical illnesses and trauma.

Patricia’s sensitivity to helping others obtain quality healthcare and giving back to the community is embodied in her most recent work where she served as a Physician’s Assistant at the John Wesley Community Health (JWCH) Institute, Inc. Center for Community Health (one of the medical clinics that serve the homeless population in Los Angeles).

Patricia’s vast experience has given her a solid knowledge base in obtaining a patient’s medical history, performing physical exams, ordering diagnostic tests and interpreting results, developing a treatment plan, prescribing and adjusting medication, electronic medical records (EMR) and many other duties within my scope of practice.

At the Fortanasce – Purino Neurology Center, Patricia will assist Dr. Fortanasce and Dr. Purino in performing memory tests, reviews of patient medications, labs, imaging areas such as MRI’s CT scans as well as Electromyography (EMG) and Nerve Conduction Studies (NCS) studies. She also assists the Doctors in following patients with a variety of neurological disorders including but not limited to Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Traumatic Brain Injuries, Headaches & Migraines, Sleep Apnea, Insomnia, Chronic Pain, Stroke and Stress Disorders.

Why Physicians Assistants (PA) are valuable to healthcare:

Physician assistants or physician associates (PAs) typically obtain medical histories, perform examinations and procedures, order treatments, diagnose diseases, prescribe medications, order and interpret diagnostic tests, refer patients to specialists as required, and first or second-assist in surgery. They work in hospitals, clinics and other types of health facilities, or in academic administration, and exercise autonomy in medical decision making. A period of extensive clinical training precedes obtaining a license to practice as a physician assistant, and similar to physician training but shorter in duration, includes all systems of the human body. Physician assistants may also complete residency training, similar to physicians’ residencies but significantly shorter, in fields such as: OB/GYN, emergency medicine, critical care, orthopedics, neurology, surgery, and other medical disciplines.

In the United States, the profession is represented by the American Academy of Physician Assistants, and all PAs must graduate from a nationally accredited ARC-PA program as well as passing the national certification exam. Most educational programs are graduate programs leading to the award of Master’s Degrees in either Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS), Health Science (MHS), or Medical Science (MMSc), and require a bachelor’s degree and GRE or MCAT scores for entry. Professional licensure is regulated by the medical boards of the individual states. Physician Assistant students train at medical schools and academic medical centers across the country.