Michael Nowak, DMSc, PA-C, MT(ASCP)CT, has dedicated his professional life to three interconnected passions: providing compassionate clinical care to patients, educating the next generation of PAs, and delivering free medical services to medically underserved populations. Through his work as a cardiothoracic surgical PA, medical educator, founder of an affordable family practice clinic, and leader of annual medical mission trips to Guatemala, Nowak has made substantial contributions to the PA profession and healthcare access for vulnerable populations.
Early Years and Foundation
Michael Nowak was born in 1974 in Buffalo, New York. He has fond childhood memories of his neighborhood, church community, and the strong work ethic he developed helping at his father’s butcher stand in Buffalo’s historic Broadway Market. Nowak has always taken pride in his Polish heritage, knowing that all his great-grandparents immigrated from Poland around 1900.
When Nowak was around ten years old, he experienced a pivotal moment that sparked his interest in medicine. While browsing a home encyclopedia, he discovered an anatomy page illustrating all the major human arteries and veins. This fascination was reinforced weeks later when he was asked to draw the cardiac chambers and blood flow on a chalkboard during class.
Early Professional Development
After graduating from Buffalo Traditional High School, Nowak pursued his education through multiple institutions. He attended his local community college, the University at Buffalo, and Upstate Medical University, earning degrees in medical technology and cytotechnology. During these formative years, Nowak worked full-time as a phlebotomist at Millard Fillmore Hospital.
Simultaneously, Michael Nowak volunteered for seven years as a firefighter and EMT-Intermediate with the Orchard Park Fire Company. This experience proved transformative for his career trajectory. Working in emergency response, he accumulated over 5,000 direct patient care hours and was first introduced to the PA profession through interactions with a PA in the emergency department. The combination of technical medical knowledge from his laboratory work and acute patient care experience from emergency medical services provided a comprehensive foundation for his PA career.
PA Education and Clinical Experience
Nowak attended PA school at Saint Francis University (SFU) in Loretto, Pennsylvania, one of the first graduate-level PA programs in the country. Under the direction of Program Director Albert (Bert) Simon, DHSc, PA, Saint Francis was recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top 10 PA programs in 2000. During his clinical year, Nowak was drawn to surgery, and this interest became more refined after completing an elective cardiovascular surgery rotation at Geisinger Medical Center.
After graduating in 2002, Nowak launched his clinical career in cardiothoracic surgery. In 2008, he joined the cardiac surgery team at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. At Mayo, he specialized in caring for complex patients, including those undergoing heart transplantation and patients requiring ventricular assist devices, working at the cutting edge of cardiac surgical care.
Nowak considers himself a “hybrid” PA, having also worked part-time in family practice and urgent care since 2004. After two decades of clinical experience, Nowak identified a significant gap in healthcare access for uninsured and underinsured patients. In 2020, he founded the Neighborhood Family Clinic (NFC) in Maryville, Tennessee, creating a healthcare model focused on high-quality, affordable medical care. As founder and CEO, he established a clinic offering laboratory tests for approximately $20 and most office visits for only $49. Nowak’s innovative approach to affordable healthcare has garnered media attention, including television features and coverage in USA Today.
PA Education and Leadership
After gaining clinical experience, Nowak began teaching as adjunct faculty at Saint Francis University and other PA programs. His passion for medical education led him to found Certified Medical Educators in 2008, a national continuing medical education and PA board review company offering three-day conferences with a 100% pass guarantee. Through this venture, Nowak has helped tens of thousands of PA students and practicing PAs prepare for certification examinations.
In 2016, Nowak transitioned to full-time medical education as didactic faculty at South College’s PA Program in Knoxville, Tennessee, where he earned the rank of associate professor. Pursuing his interest in medical education scholarship, Nowak enrolled in the Doctor of Medical Science (DMSc) program at Lincoln Memorial University’s medical school, the first accredited DMSc program in the country. The rigorous two-year program included advanced coursework in radiology, pharmacology, and clinical medicine. Focusing on the medical education track, Nowak graduated with his DMSc in 2018. Nowak went on to serve as one of the inaugural DMSc faculty members at A.T. Still University from 2019 to 2020 and currently serves as adjunct faculty at various PA programs.
Medical Missions and Service
Nowak’s commitment to serving underserved populations extends beyond his clinic work. Inspired by a PA’s presentation on international medical missions, he began organizing annual medical mission trips to Guatemala in 2012. Each year, he raises funds for medications and supplies to provide free medical care to nearly 1,000 patients, primarily in the aldeas, or mountain villages of Guatemala, where healthcare access is severely limited.
These mission trips allow Nowak to combine his clinical expertise with his passion for teaching, as he brings PA students and other healthcare providers together to expose them to global health challenges and the rewards of serving vulnerable populations.
Professional Service and Recognition
Throughout his career, Michael Nowak has been active in professional organizations, serving as a guest speaker and on the boards of the Association of Physician Assistants in Cardiovascular Surgery (APACVS), the International Impact Through Medicine Foundation, and the Foundation for the Advancement of Cardiothoracic Surgical Care. These leadership positions have allowed him to influence policy, education, and practice standards within his specialty areas.
Nowak’s contributions have been recognized through numerous awards. He was inducted into the PAEA Pi Alpha Honor Society and has received the Mayo Clinic Five-Star Award (2008), APACVS Leadership Fellow Award (2011), Saint Francis University Preceptor of the Year Award (2012), Knoxville MEDIC Advocacy Award (2017), and South College PA Education IMPACT Award (2019).
His advanced certifications include Fellow of the American College of Critical Care Medicine (FCCM) and Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS). He earned his NCCPA Surgery Certification in 2002 and his Certificate of Added Qualifications in Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery in 2011.
Nowak’s volunteer work earned him the 2018 Patient Care Award from the Knoxville Dream Center for his care of homeless individuals and a Guatemalan Medical Service Award in 2025. He has been highlighted in Marquis Who is Who in America and on the DMSc Master Class webpage. You may watch Dr. Nowak’s interview on DMSc Master Class by clicking here.
Nowak has contributed to PA literature, co-authoring a national survey on opioid screening and prevention education among PAs and PA students, published in the Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants in December 2017.
Legacy and Impact
Dr. Michael Nowak’s career exemplifies the breadth and depth of contributions PAs can make to healthcare. As a clinician, he has provided expert care in one of medicine’s most demanding specialties while ensuring that underserved populations have access to affordable primary care. As an educator, he has shaped the knowledge and skills of thousands of PA students and practicing PAs. As a humanitarian, he has brought healthcare to remote villages in Guatemala and homeless individuals in his own community.
Acknowledgments:
This biography was written by Randy Danielsen with the assistance of Michael Nowak. It was submitted to the Society in December 2025. All photographs are courtesy of Dr. Nowak.
When using information from this biography, please provide the proper citation as described within the PA History Society Terms of Use.
To request the use of the photographs that accompany this biography, please contact the PA History Society to request permission as some photographs might have restrictions on their use.
