Austin native makes a difference

Published 9:38 am Monday, May 30, 2011

Mary Fargen, Austin, a physician assistant at Mayo Clinic Health System, poses second from right during a tribal ritual in Haiti. She will receive the Physician Assistants’ 2011 Humanitarian of the Year Award June 1 for her volunteer efforts. -- Photo provided

One area resident will be recognized nationally for years of tireless volunteer work.

Mary Fargen, a physicians assistant of Austin, will receive the American Academy of Physician Assistants’ 2011 Humanitarian of the Year Award.

A former U.S. Army medic and Vietnam War veteran, Fargen has a distinguished history of providing health care to underserved communities, rural areas and prisons, as well as providing much-needed care to areas of the world recovering from war and natural disasters.

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For the last 28 years, Fargen has worked in Mayo Clinic Health System in Adams, Minn., as a physician assistant and served as the medical director for the Mower County jail and over the last four years, she has spent all of her vacation time on medical missions in developing nations.

Fargen has been a regular visitor to Haiti for years for medical trips. Following the 2010 earthquake, she quickly assembled an emergency medical team and handled nearly all aspects of the planning of their medical mission, from securing donations of tens of thousands of dollars worth of medications and supplies to arranging transportation. Two weeks after the disaster, Fargen and her medical mission team provided critical health care to earthquake victims.

“Whether it’s in our own backyards or halfway around the world, the need for immediate and quality health care is immense,” said Fargen. “I am glad that I have been able to help fill that need, and I am honored to be recognized by my peers for my work. I hope it will inspire more health professionals to reach out and help those who are in greatest need.”

Fargen’s humanitarian work extends beyond Haiti and the United States. She has also participated in medical missions to the Dominican Republic and Russia, where she delivered health care to older patients in rural areas. She also returned to Vietnam with other Vietnam War veterans to assist with a project to rebuild the country’s health care system.

The Humanitarian PA of the Year Award honors a PA who has demonstrated outstanding commitment to human rights and exemplifies the PA profession’s philosophy of providing accessible and quality health care in geographic locations inside and outside of the United States.

The award is one of five Paragon Awards presented annually by AAPA to recognize members who have demonstrated distinguished service to patients, the community and the profession. The conference will be held from May 30 to June 4 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The awards will be presented June 1 in the Las Vegas Hilton.

For videos and more information about Fargen and all of the 2011 PAragon winners, go here.