The Superior Express -

A friendly physician's assistant

Bryan Houchens, a physician's assistant at the Jewell County Rural Health Clinic, has been practicing medicine since July of 1998. He attended Wichita State University. To become a physician's assistant, Houchens received his four year degree and took the two-year P.A. course.

Houchens first had a degree in psychology. He decided he wanted more knowledge and control of what was going on. A friend in medical school told him about the physican's assistant program, so Houchens started on that journey.

Houchens is usually in the health clinic Tuesdays through Thursdays, sometime Fridays as well. He also works weekends when needed.

Houchens is married. He has one daughter who is 26 and four step-children aged 6, 7, 13 and 17. Houchens enjoys working on his farm, turkey and pheasant hunting, and fishing.

If Houchens were to retire tomorrow, he would stay in Kansas. "I'm not one who wants to run off to an island that will get knocked out by a hurricane," Houchens said. His plans are to work in medicine for another 10 years. He is inspired by knowing he is doing something that helps other people.

Houchens said if he had a patient who had a condition he didn't know much about, he would talk to Dr. Walker, specialists, and do on-line research to learn more about the condition.

Advice Houchens gives to individuals planning to go into the medical field is "Don't be discouraged. If you are having problems with the curriculum, look for help and keep pushing through and good things happen." Advice he gives to patients is, "Take your vitamins and eat your vegetables."

"I look forward to coming to work and I enjoy being here," Houchens said. "This has been a great experience."