Kenneth Sherry, PA-C, has been recognized as a distinguished fellow of the American Academy of Physician Associates.

Sherry, who practices in the surgery department at St. Luke’s Miners Campus, has been a physician assistant for 38 years.

Sherry earned this national recognition due to his outstanding contributions to patient care and the profession during his years as a physician assistant. He also demonstrated significant dedication and involvement in Schuylkill and Carbon counties.

His career accomplishments include serving as a clinical preceptor for mentoring hundreds of physician assistant students in their training, which spanned over 40 years of his dedication for several physician assistant programs throughout Pennsylvania.

He was named the national Preceptor of the Year in 2018 by the American Academy of Physician Associates and the Physician Assistant Education Association, awarded at the national conference held in New Orleans. He also was a co-author for the surgery chapter on a medical textbook entitled “Clinical Medicine for Physician Assistants” published in 2022. Sherry was inducted as an honorary member into Pi Alpha at King’s College in 2015, the national honor society organized for the promotion and recognition of both physician assistant students and graduates. He is a fellow of the Pennsylvania Society of Physician Assistants.

Previously, Sherry served as a physician assistant in surgery at the former Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center in Pottsville. He is a 1986 graduate of the physician assistant program at the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center of the Pennsylvania State University and earned a Bachelor of Science in public health from West Chester University in 1983.

The Distinguished Fellow program was established by AAPA in 2007 to recognize the exceptional contributions of physician assistants to the profession through professional achievement, leadership, professional interaction, learning, and community service. After acceptance into the program, Distinguished fellows continue to contribute to the work of AAPA and the PA profession. This distinction is earned by less than 2% of the entire AAPA membership.

Physician assistants are medical professionals who diagnose illness, develop and manage treatment plans, prescribe medications, and often serve as a patient’s principal health care provider. With thousands of hours of medical training, physician assistants are versatile and collaborative.

Educated at the master’s degree level, physician assistants practice in every state and in every medical setting and specialty, improving health care access and quality.