POTSDAM — Clinical Assistant Professor Joan Caruso has been appointed chair of Physician Assistant Studies at Clarkson University. She also serves as Director of Didactic education.

Before coming to Clarkson in 2013, Caruso was a guest lecturer and preceptor at her alma mater, D’Youville College alongside her clinical work. She has been a Hospitalist PA-C (physician assistant-certified) at Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center in Ogdensburg since 2008. Prior to that, she was a Hospitalist PA-C for the vent-weaning unit at Highland Hospital in Rochester. She also worked as a Hospitalist PA-C at Rochester General Hospital for three years.

Caruso also brings experience as a registered respiratory therapist at Women’s and Children’s Hospital of Buffalo, as well as prior ICU, ER, and Burn ICU care experience in her home state of Georgia.

She has certifications in advanced cardiovascular life support and basic life support and earned the designation of physician assistant certified (PA-C) by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) in July 2005. Additionally, she is a registered respiratory therapist and a certified respiratory therapist and has completed courses on New York State child abuse, Infection control, and medical privacy laws.

Caruso is a member of the New York State Society of Physician Assistants, American Academy of Physician Assistants, Physician Assistant Education Association, and the Advisory Board of the Clarkson University PA program. She has also served as a student preceptor for Clarkson's PA program since its inception.

She received her A.A.S. degree in respiratory therapy technology from Augusta Technical College in Augusta, Ga., and her bachelor of science degree in Physician Assistant studies from the D'Youville College Physician Assistant Program in Buffalo, NY. Caruso received her Master of Physician Assistant Studies degree from the University of Nebraska PA Program in 2011.