Nurse Practitioner Mia Phan joined the department, April 27, in the middle of a pandemic. But that doesn’t alarm her. “My goal is to stay calm and stay safe,” she said. “I will follow hospital coronavirus protocols and engage in virtual visits with patients, when appropriate. My goal is to provide the safest, most effective care for our patients.”

Neurosurgery is a new specialty for Phan, and she is excited to begin learning about it. “As soon as appropriate, I will start working with general neurosurgery patients and all the surgical staff to acclimate myself to the providers and the clinical practice,” she said.

Phan brings 10 years of educational and medical experience to her new role. She earned a Master of Science in Nursing from Mercer University Georgia Baptist School of Nursing in Atlanta where she became a member of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. Her Baccalaureate Degree of Science in Nursing is from Kennesaw State University WellStar School of Nursing in Georgia.

Solid foundation

Mia Phan

Most recently, Phan (pictured at left) was a Family Nurse Practitioner in Family Medicine at Blackstone Valley Community Center in Providence, RI. Prior to that, she served as a Registered Nurse in Medical Oncology at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta. “My experience has given me a solid foundation for taking care of my patients with professionalism and compassion,” she said. “Coming from Viet Nam also helps me adapt well to different cultures and connect easily with people from different backgrounds.”

Phan is excited to join the Neurosurgery Department because of its people. “Besides being academically accomplished, I had the best impression of them from the interview process,” she said. “They have a consistent passion for patient care and pursuing excellence in all forms. It’s an honor for me to work with such an amazing team.”

Medical mission participant
In addition to her clinical experience, Phan participated in a month-long medical mission trip to Vietnam in January 2019. The first two weeks, she helped craniofacial surgeons from University of California, San Diego (UCSD), Stanford University, and the University of Pennsylvania. “The last two weeks, I worked with the UCSD nursing department as a mentor for nursing students to provide primary care in rural areas for underserved and vulnerable patients,” Phan explained. She also helped during ConnectMed International’s Camp Cosmos in San Diego, a free therapeutic and recreational day camp for children with craniofacial differences and their families.

When she’s not at work, Phan and her husband like to spend time outdoors with their two dogs. “We moved to Minnesota less than six months ago, so we’re still exploring the state and the Twin Cities,” she said. They are also starting a garden and like to watch movies.

Welcome, Mia!