Larry Collins, PA-C, ATC

Tampa, FL (Jan. 14, 2008) – Larry Collins, a physician assistant (PA) and instructor at the University of South Florida Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, has been recognized as a Distinguished Fellow of the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA).

Only 200 out of approximately 70,000 PAs practicing in the U.S. have been earned the AAPA’s distinction of Distinguished Fellow.

All Distinguished Fellows have demonstrated exceptional contributions to their communities and a commitment to all aspects of health care.

Collins has been a physician assistant in Tampa for more than 17 years and currently treats patients and educates students in the Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine at USF.

He earned the recognition for his outstanding contributions to patient care and the PA profession during his years as a physician assistant in Tampa. He has also demonstrated significant dedication and involvement within the Tampa Bay community. Collins continues to volunteer at various athletic competitions across the Tampa Bay area, as well as nationally and internationally.

Collins has worked with the Sports Medicine faculty and staff at USF since 1990 and has also volunteered at the University of Tampa and Saint Leo University. For the past two decades he has provided medical coverage at Friday night high school football games. He has also worked with the United States Olympic Training Program in Colorado Springs and was assigned to the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta and the 2007 Winter World University Games in Torino, Italy.

Collins volunteers yearly for pre-competition physicals for several youth organizations across the Tampa region and helps coordinate medical coverage for local events such as adventure races, triathlons and road races.

He is an avid runner, cyclist and triathlete, having completed several Ironman triathlons. In 2003, he was a member of the FOI/Arthritis Foundation four-man team that raised $40,000 and finished third in the Race Across America (RAAM) — completing the San Diego to Atlantic City bicycle race in 7 days, 2 hours.

Physician assistants are licensed health professionals who practice medicine as members of a team with their supervising physicians, delivering a broad range of medical and surgical services. The AAPA is the only national organization representing physician assistants in all medical and surgical specialties and is one of the largest medical societies in the United States.

– USF Health –

USF Health is dedicated to creating a model of health care based on understanding the full spectrum of health. It includes the University of South Florida’s colleges of medicine, nursing, and public health; the schools of biomedical sciences as well as physical therapy & rehabilitation sciences; and the USF Physicians Group. With $308 million in research funding last year, USF is one of the nation’s top 63 public research universities and one of Florida’s top three research universities.