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For Jamie Casey, being a physician assistant is about more than diagnosing illnesses, prescribing medications and helping patients feel better. It is about earning trust, educating patients and recognizing that sometimes the most important part of providing care is simply taking the time to listen.
Casey, who practices at Connelley Family Medical in Monticello, said one of the most rewarding aspects of her profession is the trust patients place in her when they are not feeling well and need someone to help them find answers.
“They just know they do not feel good and trust what I treat them with will make them feel better and can help them,” Casey said.
She also understands that medicine does not always provide an immediate solution to every problem.
“Medicine doesn’t fix everything. Sometimes they need a listening ear,” she said.
That philosophy has helped shape Casey’s approach to patient care and reflects the compassion and dedication that make her a healthcare hero.
Casey grew up in Samples, a small community outside White Hall, Arkansas, and graduated from White Hall High School in 2008. Her interest in health care developed early, influenced in part by her mother, who worked as an X-ray technician at the Area Health Education Center in Pine Bluff.
“If we were sick, we would sit at the hospital with her,” Casey recalled.
After high school, Casey attended Henderson State University, earning a Bachelor of Science in biology in 2012. During her senior year, she was named an Outstanding Biology Major and served as a teaching assistant, instructing introductory biology laboratory classes for two semesters.
She credits Dr. James Engman at Henderson with recognizing her potential and encouraging her academic growth.
Although Casey initially planned to become a physician, she discovered another path into medicine through a friend who told her about physician assistant programs.
After graduating from Henderson, she worked as a patient care technician at Jefferson Regional Medical Center in Pine Bluff, gaining valuable hands-on experience while applying to physician assistant school.
Casey ultimately chose Harding University, where she earned her Master of Physician Assistant Studies in 2016.
“Yes,” Casey said when asked whether she had always known she wanted to work in health care. “Initially I wanted to become a physician, but when I finished undergrad school, a friend told me about the physician assistant program. I researched it and compared the costs and time spent for both and decided on PA school.”
She explained that physician assistant education follows a model similar to medical school, preparing graduates to work alongside physicians in diagnosing and treating patients.
“We are able to help the doctor be what they want to be,” she said.
Following graduation, Casey took her state board examination Jan. 17, 2017, and began working at Unity Health Urgent Care on Feb. 17, 2017.
In 2019, Casey decided to explore travel opportunities in health care. Her first assignment brought her to Dr. Jay Connelley’s office in August 2019, where she remained until September 2020.
She then accepted an assignment at Choctaw Nation Regional Medical Clinic in Durant, Oklahoma, where she worked for five months.
When her mother became ill, Casey returned home to care for her. During that time, Karen Connelley continued checking on Casey and her mother, letting Casey know the practice would welcome her back.
The calls reflected a personal connection that would eventually bring Casey back to Monticello.
In June 2022, Casey returned to work for the Connelleys part time. Two years later, in June 2024, she transitioned to full-time employment at Connelley Family Medical.
“I love working here. It is like one big family,” Casey said.
She credits the Connelleys with recognizing her abilities and giving her an opportunity to become part of the Monticello community.
“They are the reason I came to Monticello. They saw value in me and wanted to bring me back,” she said. “Dr. Connelley is a great collaborative physician.”
As a physician assistant, Casey works in close collaboration with a physician to evaluate patients, diagnose conditions, order and interpret laboratory work and other tests, and prescribe medications within applicable limitations.
She described the profession as a bridge between nursing and a physician’s role, with physician assistants working as part of a medical team to help meet patients’ needs.
“Anything Dr. Connelley does, I can do. A doctor can teach me and I can do it,” she said.
For Casey, however, the technical responsibilities of medicine are only part of the job. She believes patient education is one of the greatest needs in the communities she serves, along with better management of chronic conditions such as diabetes and increased access to health care providers.
She also makes a point of communicating directly with patients when delivering certain diagnoses rather than leaving the responsibility entirely to a nurse. That approach gives patients an opportunity to ask questions, better understand their conditions and discuss what comes next.
Her goal is to ensure patients feel heard and valued, particularly when they are facing difficult diagnoses or personal circumstances.
One patient experience illustrates the importance of that partnership.
Casey recalled caring for a patient whose blood pressure remained uncontrolled despite trying numerous medications. Some treatments caused unwanted side effects, while others failed to produce the desired results.
Finding an effective treatment plan required persistence from both the medical team and the patient.
“We tried every medication it seemed, and it would give her side effects or wouldn’t work,” Casey said.
Through the patient’s dedication to making lifestyle changes, attending regular appointments and working with Casey to find the right combination of medications, they eventually succeeded in lowering the patient’s blood pressure.
The experience reinforced the value of patience, communication and shared responsibility in managing chronic health conditions. It also demonstrated that successful treatment often requires more than writing a prescription; it takes a provider willing to keep working with a patient until the right approach is found.
Casey’s commitment to caring for others extends beyond her work in the medical office. When asked what she considers her greatest accomplishment, she did not point to her education, professional credentials or career milestones.
Instead, she spoke about caring for her mother for two and a half years.
That experience represents a deeply personal chapter in Casey’s life and reflects the dedication she brings to caring for others. Having experienced the responsibility of helping a loved one through illness, she understands that health challenges affect more than a patient’s physical well-being. They also affect families, routines and everyday life.
Her experience reinforces the importance of compassion and the need to recognize the person behind the diagnosis.
Outside of work, Casey enjoys reading and attends a monthly book club. She also crochets and treasures time spent with her two nephews and one niece.
Those interests provide a balance to the demands of health care while keeping her connected to the people and activities she enjoys most.
For Casey, one of the greatest benefits of practicing medicine in a smaller community is the opportunity to develop lasting relationships with patients.
“I love being able to have relationships with my patients and being able to run into my patients at Walmart and at restaurants around town,” she said.
Those everyday encounters are a reminder that the people she treats are also her neighbors. The relationships formed in the medical office continue throughout the community, making her work personal in ways that extend beyond an appointment.
In a community where access to health care can be challenging, Casey recognizes the importance of making patients feel comfortable asking questions and taking an active role in their health.
Her advice to those considering a career as a physician assistant is to research the many paths available in medicine before making a decision.
She encourages students to explore medical school, nursing and nurse practitioner programs, and physician assistant education, carefully considering the cost, length of training and demands of each profession.
“It is best to research the price and how long school will take,” Casey said. “Pick the one that best fits you and your lifestyle.”
The same thoughtful approach she recommends to future health care professionals is evident in the way she works with patients: understand the options, ask questions and make informed decisions.
Through her education, professional experience and personal sacrifices, Casey has built a career centered on helping others. Her willingness to listen, her determination to find solutions and her appreciation for the relationships she has developed in Monticello reflect a commitment to care that goes beyond medical treatment.
For Casey, being a healthcare hero is not about having every answer. It is about showing up, earning a patient’s trust and continuing to work toward a solution — while remembering that sometimes a listening ear can be just as important as medicine.
