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Kelsey Garner, PA-C
APP Clinical Lead, NowCare Urgent Care, Bayview Physicians Group
Kelsey Garner was a 20-year-old college sophomore when she took her first job with Bayview Physicians Group: an entry-level front desk position during summer break.
Seven years later, Garner became a physician assistant for Bayview. And since 2020, she has served as one of two Advanced Practice Provider Clinical Leads for an 11-member team of PAs and Nurse Practitioners at NowCare Urgent Care, a bustling practice with six area locations.
“Every day is so fast paced and interesting,” Garner says. “Each one brings an unexpected medical quiz and a different set of challenges, so you never fall into a rut. I’m always growing as a provider.”
A 2018 graduate of the Master of Physician Assistant program at Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS), Garner is primarily based at NowCare’s location on Volvo Parkway in Chesapeake. The center typically sees 100 to 120 patients a day for urgent care visits, plus labs, X-rays, immunizations and occupational health physicals.
Handling everything from colds and UTIs to lacerations and broken bones to chest pain that may require an emergency room transfer, Garner considers patient education to be a vital part of her job. Patients who have a viral infection, for instance, often expect to get a prescription for antibiotics that wouldn’t help them.
“You could fall into a ‘treat ’em and street ’em’ mentality, but that’s a real disservice to patients,” she says. “If you take a few extra minutes to explain the evidence-based decisions you’re making, virtually all of them will understand and be very appreciative.”
A Norfolk native, Garner also believes her profession is rooted in service: “With my own family members, I’ve seen what an impact one skilled, compassionate provider can have on physical and mental well-being. This profession is one of the best ways to better your community.”
A graduate of the Math and Science Academy at Ocean Lakes High School, Garner majored in Health Sciences with a minor in Human Services at James Madison University (JMU). Although she worked as a Certified First Responder and lifeguard for JMU’s campus recreation center, she was initially more interested in the administrative side of healthcare.
During her first summer with Bayview, Garner answered phones and made patient appointments on the desk at Bayview Endocrinology Consultants in Virginia Beach. She also took on after-hours shifts at the neighboring urgent care center.
Returning to Bayview over school breaks and after college, Garner became a new patient coordinator and later trained to triage patients, take vitals, run diabetes education sessions, and assist with thyroid biopsy procedures. She joined NowCare immediately after graduating summa cum laude from EVMS.
Garner’s current responsibilities include onboarding new APP hires for all Bayview specialties, resolving workplace and scheduling dilemmas for her team, and preparing biweekly clinical case studies for APPs to discuss novel medical developments and complex patients.
“I like to take on leadership roles and do more than the status quo,” notes Garner, who is also a preceptor for Medical Assistant, Nursing and PA students. “Hearing different ideas and viewpoints makes us all better, more well-rounded providers.”
Outside work, Garner and her husband, her high school sweetheart, have two young children and enjoy family time and travel. In addition, she volunteers for free clinics at EVMS and Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters and is PTA President at her son’s elementary school.
As a person who doesn’t mind being busy, Garner has fully embraced urgent care. “It’s impossible to get bored,” she relates. “It’s really satisfying to me to give people with acute problems a solution – often right then and there.”
