Health and Fitness : Virginia Gay Hospital welcomes Vinton native Wes Lyons to hospital staff

It's a homecoming for Vinton native, Wes Lyons, PA-C, who is joining the staff at Virginia Gay Hospital as an Emergency Room/Hospitalist.

Lyons is a graduate of Vinton-Shellsburg Community Schools. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from Drake University, Des Moines, a master's in public health from George Washington University, Washington, D.C., and a master of physician assistant studies from the University of Iowa, Iowa City.

Though his education and work experience took him outside of the area, it was family connections and making a difference in rural healthcare that brought him back home. His position at Virginia Gay combines a role in the emergency department and inpatient management.

Lyons credits having access to healthcare professionals during high school job shadows with helping him choose healthcare as a profession. "Mr. Patterson, my chemistry teacher in High School, is great about bringing physician assistants into the classroom to talk, and that is what sparked my interest." He also fondly remembers job shadowing with Matt Wilden, PA-C, now a colleague, as well as with P.A.'s Shane Higgins and David Bordewyck.

Those opportunities still inspire him today. "I love the advocacy part of this profession. I am not only able to advocate for our patients, but also to advocate for the role we play in the community, as well as teaching people what a P.A. is and what a P.A. does."

As he gets started in his new role, Lyons is looking forward to getting connected and working with his new colleagues. "Everyone here does a great job," says Wes. "I saw this as a patient, and I've heard it from other patients and many who work here. The staff treats each other like family. They are very supportive of one another, and that support gives us a much better opportunity to provide good care to our patients. There are some pretty incredible physicians here that I'm excited to work with as I learn and grow as a provider."

With the rigors of education and training behind him, Wes is looking forward to developing a more normal routine than what he experienced as a student. He plans to spend more time reading, cooking, and training for a marathon. "Running is something that brings me peace of mind. It's how I decompress."

Learn more about Wesley Lyons, PA-C, and the other providers caring for patients at Virginia Gay Hospital and the Virginia Gay Family Medical Clinics when you visit www.myvgh.org.

About Virginia Gay Hospital, Clinics, Home Health, Nursing and Rehab

As a leader in rural healthcare and specializing in family medicine, Virginia Gay Hospital and Clinics serve families in the greater Benton County, Iowa with family medical clinics in Atkins (SE Benton Co.), Van Horne (SW Benton Co.), Urbana (NE Benton Co.) and in Vinton. The hospital provides a wide array of services, diagnostic testing, and clinical expertise Acute Care, Emergency Medicine, Home Health, Imaging Services, Laboratory, Nursing and Rehabilitation, Respiratory Therapy, Sleep Studies, Surgical Services, and Therapy Services. Founded with a gift from Virginia Walcutt-Gay in 1914, the hospital has been able to maintain independence because of the generous support from the community. For additional information, please visit www.myvgh.org