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North Carolina Academy of Physician Assistants
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# Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with Claudia C. Mendoza, PA-C
October 9, 2024 by Pauline Bulala
***Working with the Latino population was what motivated me to become a medical professional. I saw from an early age that, especially in the medical field, bilingual providers and translators were very limited.*** -Claudia Mendoza, PA-C
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For **National Hispanic Heritage Month** (Sept. 15 through Oct. 15th), the NCAPA celebrates the contributions and dedication of PAs within the Latino community and those they serve. In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, the NCAPA sat down with member and family medicine physician assistant (PA), **Claudia Mendoza, PA-C,** to highlight her impactful work within the Latino community while practicing at **Centro Médico Latino.**
PA Mendoza is a graduate of **East Carolina University’s PA Program** who has called Concord, NC home since the age of six. She has been a PA for nearly 17 years. Her career first started off in internal medicine, where she practiced for five years, before transitioning to her current role at Centro Médico Latino. Her family moved to North Carolina from Dallas, Texas. PA Mendoza was the first in her family to graduate high school, college, and earn a Master’s degree, and her passion lies in motivating youth to achieve their highest potential while giving back to their communities.
### A Passion for Translating and Serving Neighbors
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“You know that neighborhood kid that translated for everyone? That was me. That was how my love for medicine developed around 7 or 8 years old. I was inspired by seeing the need within my Latino community.”
When PA Mendoza’s family first moved to North Carolina in the early 1990s, she described, “There were hardly any Salvadorians nearby. This led to those of us forming a tight-knit community. I am very family oriented and I carry that with me wherever I go.”
A fond memory that she shared was when she inadvertently became a translator for her neighbor at the age of ten or eleven, who was going through labor and needed help. “When it was time to give birth, no one was there to translate but me,” she recounted. “I remember going to the hospital with her, and I was about ten or eleven years old. She already had fears surrounding giving birth for the first time, but on top of that, she did not know the language and was unfamiliar with the setting.”
Her passion for translating launched PA Mendoza into a role as a translator at the Health Department, where she was then introduced to a PA. “When I saw how much she enjoyed being a PA and how that appreciation was reciprocated from her patients, it was inspiring. It opened my eyes to the profession, and that’s when I knew, I want to do something like that.”
### A Day in the Life
**Centro Médico Latino** first opened the doors in 2008, and what started off with one single branch, grew into a satellite clinic in Monroe to its newest location in Concord. “All of our patients are uninsured, and we have a large Spanish-speaking, Latino patient population,” Mendoza explained. “All of our staff is bilingual, and we really cater to that community. A lot of our patients are afraid to go to the ER, whether that may be because of their lack of insurance, large costs from the ER, language barriers, etc. **The clinic really sought to mitigate these barriers.**“
A typical day first starts at 7:30am, where PA Mendoza sees a mixture of established follow-ups for patients with hypertension and diabetes, to addressing sore throats and patients with the flu, all the way up to severe internal medicine cases. “Like I said, a lot of our patients are afraid to go to the ER, and I’ve had instances where I’ve had to treat a really dehydrated patient with one to two bags of IV fluids for two hours in the office,” said PA Mendoza. “We do as much as we can, in-house, to mitigate those high-costs for our patients. Everyday, you never know what you’re going to see and to me, that’s fascinating.”
PA Mendoza emphasized that patient education and holistic care is at the forefront of the clinic’s patient approach. She recalled an example of a patient who suffered from abdominal pain for years, having undergone numerous diagnostic tests, MRIs, etc. “One day, I approached him with a different perspective and asked, ‘Are you depressed? Are you anxious? Is there something else going on?’ Come to find out that he was going through a divorce and a custody battle.”
She proposed something different, and proposed a plan to try an SSRI for six weeks. “In the Hispanic community, anxiety and depression can be a taboo. You’re told to shake it off and keep going. They are tough people. Sometimes, it feels like there’s no room for anxiety or depression.”
After putting him on an SSRI and following up after six weeks, the patient himself noticed his own improvement. “‘You know what, my pain is better,’ he said to me,” recalled PA Mendoza. “Come to find out, it was more psychogenic in nature, just by opening that conversation up and tackling it from a different perspective.”
*When you look at a patient, **you have to look at them as a whole.** You have patients who might not have anyone to talk to. They deserve **nonbiased feedback, nonjudgmental conversations** and it’s amazing what a wonder that does.* **-Claudia Mendoza, PA-C**
### A Decision to Join the NCAPA
PA Mendoza shared that her decision to become a member of the NCAPA started from a place of gratitude. “Just knowing that there is an organization fighting for PAs, looking out for our best interest, ways to improve – it not only helps PAs, but it helps our communities. **The better equipped we are, the better our advocacy organization is, the better we can provide for our communities.”**
An avid attendee of the NCAPA Summer Conference, she mentioned that she enjoys the diverse content that applies to her everyday role. “I love that it provides a variety of pearls I can use in everyday situations, from dermatology, to EKGs, and in between. It just motivates me to know that we have a branch of people that represent us and fights for us.”
### Leading Through Example
PA Mendoza reflected on her journey as a PA, specifically in serving the Latino community and underserved patient populations. As one of the senior providers who has been with Centro Médico Latinofor years, PA Mendoza explains that it is very much a teaching facility, and she uses her role as a vehicle to make a greater impact. “We get a lot of new graduates, PAs and NPs, and it’s been a great teaching hub, taking them under our wing and **pass the love of serving the underserved to other people**.”
**In the wake of Hurricane Helene,** PA Mendoza has notified the NCAPAthat her clinic and team are travelling to impacted areas in Western North Carolina to offer assistance, translation services, and medical aid to the Latino communities and affected individuals. Her team is not only bringing medical personnel, but also clothing, supplies, and insulin.
In her free time, PA Mendoza enjoys spending time with her family, in addition to running, and is actually preparing for a marathon in a few weeks! “Staying active and eating healthy, while teaching my community, has always been a big thing for me.”
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# Supporting Western North Carolina
October 3, 2024 by Emily Adams
It is difficult to believe the images that we are seeing of the North Carolina Mountains and the surrounding areas. The level of destruction is staggering, and the recovery efforts have only begun. Some of our members are still without power, internet, and other supplies, and we are keeping them in our hearts and prayers. We share their concerns for their families, patients, and communities. Below you will find information about how you can help.
### NCAPA Fund to Support PA Students and PA Program Faculty in Impacted Areas
So many lives have been disrupted, and NCAPA is providing an opportunity for our members to help PA students and PA program faculty impacted by Hurricane Helene in Western NC. We have heard from all of these programs, and we are happy to share that all students and faculty are accounted for.
However, they are dealing with the aftermath of flooding and other damage to homes, apartments, and automobiles. We want to provide extra support to these individuals and are inviting our members to contribute to a fund that will support their recovery.
**There are several PA programs with campuses in the flooded areas of Western North Carolina:**
* **Asheville** – South College
* **Boone** – Wake Forest
* **Hendersonville** – Wingate
* **Boiling Springs** – Gardner Webb
We know there will be many unexpected expenses throughout recovery, and they will need our assistance. You can make a secure contribution through the link below, and 100% of the funds raised will go to the PA students and PA faculty most in need in the impacted areas.
### Volunteering
You have likely seen pictures and videos of the destruction, and we are hearing the stories from those on the ground about the conditions and needs. There are a few important things to consider before volunteering in Western NC.
Please do not show up on your own. Travel in the affected areas is limited, and the roads need to be kept clear for emergency response and recovery efforts. You should connect with an organization, hospital, or the state Office of EMS (OEMS) to coordinate deployment. If you work in a health system with facilities in the affected region and would like to volunteer, you should check in with your health system administrators.
The state is asking other **.** The North Carolina Medical Society is also working to facilitate getting medical providers where they are most needed. You can get more information about those efforts ****.
Please remember that housing options are likely to be basic and very limited.
### Emergency Licensure for Disaster Relief
The North Carolina Medical Board (NCMB) has provided the following information:
*In response to the Governor’s State of Emergency orders, the North Carolina Medical Board has activated the Limited Emergency License to help facilitate medical professionals volunteering their time and skills to help communities in need.*
Physicians and physician assistants with a full North Carolina license are able to volunteer without obtaining a volunteer license. Note that PAs who provide volunteer medical services DO need a supervising physician per NC law. Licensees should check in with the **** for volunteer needs before arriving in the region. Under no circumstances should volunteers self-report to any location to participate in relief efforts.
For out-of-state physicians and PAs that do not currently have a license in North Carolina, there are two easy pathways to temporary licensure under the emergency policy. Visit **** for more information.
### Other Ways to Support
There are numerous ways to support this area and contribute your resources. Below are some other options for contributions:
* **** – They are accepting volunteers, blood donations, and financial contributions.
* **** – This is the homepage for a state fund that is managed by the United Way of North Carolina.
* **** – This list comes from Blue Ridge Public Radio.
* **** – The North Carolina Medical Society has a disaster relief fund that provides grants to rebuild or repair practices.
***Please note:*** Be mindful about responding to social media posts and other individual fundraising campaigns. While many of these requests are genuine and come from individuals in need, there are also cases of misinformation and scams.
The road to recovery and rebuilding will be long, but the NCAPA believes in the spirit and heart of North Carolina communities to see it through. **Please consider contributing to the relief and rebuilding of our beautiful state and communities.**