Phyllis Barks, MPH, PA

Assistant Professor, Technology Development Coordinator

Phyllis Barks joined the OHSU PA Program in January 2001 as the resident computer technology expert. She is responsible for the computer-based testing software and other technology projects. She is the course director for the Principles of Professional Practice course series and the Introduction to Medical Genetics course during the academic year as well as  the Community Outreach Project courses during the clinical year. She is the co-instructor along with Claire Hull of the Medical Errors and Pain Management courses during the clinical year.

She is a 1980 graduate of the University of Florida Physician Assistant Program.  After graduation, she worked in Family Practice in Orlando, FL for a year before accepting a position as Director of Family Planning at the Pasco County Health Department in New Port Richey, FL.  Here she developed a keen interest in public health and the prevention of adolescent pregnancy, leading her to obtain a Master in Public Health in Maternal & Child Health at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill in 1984.  After finishing her MPH, she accepted a faculty position at the University of Florida PA Program from 1984-1987 and served as first Academic Coordinator and then Admissions Coordinator.  While at the University of Florida, she worked part-time clinically in the Women's Clinic for the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology and was the attending faculty for residents and medical students in the Post-Partum and Family Planning Clinic. Returning to full-time clinical work in 1987, she worked first at the Planned Parenthood of North Central Florida, then in family practice in Kodiak, AK, and finally in a women's health practice in Fairbanks, AK.  In 1994 she returned to full-time education, working at several PA programs as the Academic Coordinator over the next 6 years before finding her home at OHSU.  She continued to practice clinically part-time in Family Planning until December 2000.  In June 2010 she received three certificates from the Portland State University Multimedia Professional Program in Internet Design, Interactive Producer, and Digital Marketing Strategies.

She has over 10 years of full-time clinical experience in women's health and family planning and over 21 years in PA education.  While serving as Academic Coordinator in previous programs, she developed her expertise in computers to help her better perform those responsibilities.  She is a reviewer for "A Comprehensive Review for the Certification and Recertification Examinations for Physician Assistants."

She is particularly interested in cultural diversity, complementary & alternative medicine, access to health care, medical genetics, medical ethics, provision of health in underserved areas, contraceptive use and prevention of adolescent pregnancy.

Publications:

Barks, Phyllis L. and Goldgar, Constance, "Hereditary breast and ovarian cancer" in Genomics in PA Practice, Journal of the American Association of Physician Assistants, March 2012 25(3), p.63-65.

Barks, Phyllis L., “Role of the PA in Obstetrics and Gynecology” in Physician Assistant: A Guide to Clinical Practice, edited by Ruth Ballweg, Sherry Stolberg, and Edward Sullivan, W.B. Saunders Company, 1994, p.411-417.

Barks, Phyllis L., “Contraception and Adolescents: A Problem of Noncompliance,” Physician Assistant, June 1988, p.16-28.