Brittany Strelow, DMSc, PA-C, MS, is a physician assistant/physician associate (PA), whose career spans clinical practice, mentorship, education, research, and leadership.
Strelow was born and raised in Appleton, Wisconsin. Growing up an only child, Strelow’s hobbies included dancing, scrapbooking, fishing, and volunteering with her family. During high school, her mother was unexpectedly diagnosed with advanced cancer. Suddenly thrown into the world of healthcare, Strelow spent a lot of time in different clinical settings and gained a firsthand understanding of various healthcare professions, including nurses, dietitians, and physical therapists. During this time, her mother mentioned the PA profession and put it on the radar for Strelow as a possible career path.
In 2008, Strelow earned her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities. She completed summer coursework at both the University of Minnesota and University of Wisconsin–Green Bay, studied abroad in New Zealand, and gained diverse experience through summer work in customer service roles, including waitressing, bussing tables, retail, and as a hostess. With an interest in healthcare, she volunteered as a physical therapy aide and shadowed an orthopedic PA. Strelow also served as president of Colleges Against Cancer/Relay for Life and held various other roles within the organization, staying involved since its inception during her freshman year at the University of Minnesota. Strelow also interned at the American Cancer Society and volunteered as an EMT at community races and walks. During a Susan G. Komen 3-Day Walk, she met a PA, which further piqued her interest in the profession. After taking a gap year to work as a nursing assistant, Strelow enrolled in the Pace University PA Program in New York, New York, as she was drawn to its early adoption of the master’s degree. Strelow graduated in 2011 and received the Pace University Leadership Award.
Afterward, Strelow moved to Rochester, Minnesota, where she started working at Mayo Clinic and PRN at Olmsted Medical Center’s Urgent Care. Strelow has worked at Mayo Clinic for over a decade, initially in hematology and currently in internal medicine. Strelow has had roles within the division clinically as part of the Mayo Clinic COVID Frontline Healthcare Team (CFCT)/Midwest COVID Care Team (MWCCT), and as a STAR Triage Provider. In addition to her clinical work, Strelow has also precepted and mentored many students – including PAs, nurse practitioners (NP), residents, fellows, nursing and pre-health students – helping guide and inspire the next generation of healthcare providers.
Brittany Strelow has been deeply involved in PA education. She was part of the founding faculty for the Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences PA program (2019–2023). She later joined the Augsburg University PA Program and Butler University DMS Bridge Program as adjunct faculty in 2023, and Northeastern University’s PA Program in 2025. She was appointed Assistant professor of medicine in 2018.
Motivated by a desire to take on more leadership roles and projects, Strelow pursued a Doctor of Medical Science (DMSc) degree at Lynchburg College. She graduated in 2021, completing a primary project on barriers to cervical cancer screening in immigrant populations. Since then, Strelow has published her work in peer-reviewed journals and presented at regional, national, and international conferences. Strelow actively contributes to the scholarly community as a peer reviewer for the Journal of the American Academy of Physician Associates (JAAPA), as well as an abstract grader for the American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) annual conferences.
Another important aspect of Strelow’s career is her involvement in quality improvement (QI) initiatives. Since 2021, she has served as chair and lead of preventive quality committees, first focusing on cervical cancer and later expanding to broader preventive care. She has contributed to numerous QI projects, particularly those centered around women’s health and cancer prevention. Strelow finds this work especially meaningful, identifying gaps in care, uncovering opportunities for improvement, implementing effective solutions, and demonstrating measurable results that enhance healthcare delivery. She views QI as an essential part of healthcare, as it is a way to highlight the importance of prevention alongside treatment. In 2025, Strelow obtained her American Society for Quality (ASQ) Green Belt Certification.
Beyond the clinic and classroom, Brittany Strelow has been an active leader in the PA profession. She has held numerous roles within the Minnesota Academy of Physician Associates (MAPA), including serving as president from 2023 to 2024. More recently, Strelow was elected to the 2025–26 AAPA Board of Directors as a director-at-large. Her leadership and clinical achievements have been recognized with many honors and awards including: Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society (2019); POCN America’s Top PA in Internal Medicine by (2021); Pi Alpha National Honor Society (2022); MAPA Preceptor/Mentor of the Year (2022); AAPA Distinguished Fellow (2022); Mayo Clinic Associate Status (2022); AAPA Constituent Organization Outreach and Advocacy Award for MAPA (2022); and Gerstner Award for Specialized Education of NPs and PAs (2025).
For Strelow, embracing new opportunities, whether in clinical practice, education, research, or leadership, has helped shape a career focused on advancing patient care, supporting others in reaching their professional goals, and preparing the next generation of healthcare leaders. Outside of work, Strelow enjoys skiing with her family, spending time at the lake, volunteering as a Girl Scout troop leader, and participating in community service and volunteer initiatives.
Acknowledgements
This biography was prepared by Phoebe Kubo with the assistance of Brittany Strelow. It was submitted to the Society in September 2025. Photographs are provided courtesy of Dr. Strelow.
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