Mike Sacks, MS, ’15; DMSc; PA‑C; CPAAPA, was named 2025 PA of the Year by the New York State Society of Physician Associates (NYSSPA), an award that celebrates his many and varied contributions to the profession.
Sacks’ professional journey began in Hofstra’s physician assistant studies program. He credits the expert faculty for his professional success, especially Carina Loscalzo and Mark L’Eplattenier, whose mentorship he describes as “life-changing.” Sacks says selecting Hofstra turned out to be “the best choice I ever made,” laying a foundation not just for clinical skills but for his broader roles in teaching and leadership.
Sacks practices family and emergency medicine in Westchester, New York. He also held positions in the American Academy of PAs House of Delegates and NYSSPA. Through his work, he combines clinical practice with teaching, mentorship, and system-level advocacy.
As an educator, Sacks has taught at over 40 PA programs across the United States and guided more than 100 students as a preceptor. Building on his experience in the classroom, he is the author and editor of The First Line Guide, a bestselling clinical textbook series designed to support PA students from their earliest days through board preparation.
Advocacy is a central element of Sacks’ mission. When the COVID-19 pandemic threatened to disrupt the education of hundreds of PA students in rotations, Sacks organized a network of over 300 clinical preceptors to accommodate those displaced students, ensuring that their education continued without a lengthy delay.
His advocacy extends to statewide and national efforts to modernize the PA profession. He has worked to update laws that restrict PA practice, including pushing to remove outdated requirements in New York state prescribing laws and advocating for greater physician assistant autonomy where clinically appropriate. He remains hopeful for the future of PAs, believing they are well-positioned for a future of increasing demand for health care.
To Hofstra graduates and aspiring PAs, Sacks offers valuable advice: Understand your state’s legal environment; build meaningful relationships across all levels in healthcare settings, including clinicians, administrators, and support staff; and always show respect and professionalism, because your reputation matters. “Our patients are seeing us when they’re at their worst. Our job is to always be at our best,” he emphasized.
Reflecting on receiving the PA of the Year award, Sacks shared: “I’ve given myself to this profession for over a decade — not for recognition but because I believe in it. Having NYSSPA say, ‘Hey, we picked you,’ is one of the most meaningful moments in my career.”
