Erin will be the first to tell you that it hasn''t always been easy. But, then, Erin has never been one to shy away from hard work. One of the biggest challenges for Erin was finishing the PA program at Cornell University in New York. "PA school was very intense. This intensity made me dedicate my life to school and the basics. Even then, there were many things that I simply opted out of. Like sleep, for example!"

After successfully completing the PA program, Erin went on to pursue her Master of Physician Assistant Studies at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Today, she balances her time between treating ER patients in a medically underserved rural community of Michigan, and teaching the next generation of Physician Assistants at Central Michigan University, where she helps shape the curriculum. Somewhere in between rounds and classes, she''s also managed to create nine instructional videos on suturing techniques which she posted on YouTube and compiled onto a DVD for her students.

Who inspired you?

"My mother is a nurse practitioner and has been a great inspiration for me. She demonstrated that it is possible for a woman to balance a medical career with motherhood. I am very thankful for the example she set."

— Erin Sherer, MPAS, PA-C, RD