Florida PAs and PA Students Deliver Women’s Health Services to Underserved Communities

“I am grateful to Oceana for giving me a wholesome opportunity and skills I can carry forward as a future PA leader in women’s health.”

June 24, 2025

By Alex Morse

Oceana Community Health, a medical center with multiple clinics throughout Florida, is on a mission to provide high-quality primary care and preventive services to patients facing barriers to accessing healthcare. Partnering with local OBGYN physician associates, they have created a “Cancer Coalition,” a walk-in service for community members to receive preventive breast cancer screenings from PAs.

In 2024, Oceana was recognized by the National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics (NAFC) and, under partnership with the McKesson Foundation, awarded a grant to lead the United States in a breast cancer screening and prevention program. This program aims to identify social determinants of health around breast cancer screenings in low-income, under/uninsured women; and offer routine breast cancer screenings, including ultrasound and referrals for mammography.

Youssef Motii, PA student and Executive Director of Oceana Community Health, said their goal is to reach over a thousand women by the end of 2025. Motii, whose aunt and grandmother both suffered from breast cancer, said that he was fortunate to have a team of healthcare providers and community members who believed in him to channel his passion into action, and grow this project into what it is today.

This year alone, Oceana has provided services to over 480 uninsured women and conducted 160 breast cancer screenings or mammography referrals. Some of those services resulted in positive cancer diagnoses, but they were caught early, and patients were given a better prognosis as a result. Some patients shared that they struggled for years to obtain a mammogram or be professionally evaluated by a specialist.

[See Motii and other PA students who go beyond on AAPA’s new Nationwide PA Impact Map!]

To expand their impact, the “Cancer Coalition” has recruited several PA students from local schools, including the University of Miami, Nova Southeastern University, Barry University, and Florida International University.

Valencia Ray, a second year PA student at Barry University, always wanted to be involved in women’s health. “As a PA student I use my voice to empower, educate, and encourage women to be their best advocates and put their health first,” she said. “What we do today defines who we are tomorrow, and I am grateful to Oceana for giving me a wholesome opportunity and skills I can carry forward as a future PA leader in women’s health.”

For students further along in their training, Oceana sponsors hands-on ultrasound imaging workshops. Students can then apply the techniques they learn with real patients, under supervision and mentorship of licensed providers. The program gives PA students experience at all levels, from intake to clinical exams and diagnostic imaging.

“As a student myself, I know how difficult it is to get this personalized experience when navigating the turbulence of clinical rotations. All the more reason why our center has committed to being a partner in PA education and fostering this unique learning opportunity for all,” Motii said.

For Christina, one of Oceana’s patients, watching members of her family battle cancer pushed her to address her genetic predisposition. “Youssef [Motii]’s clinic came as a guiding light in my time of darkness, holding my hand from our first interaction all the way through my first negative mammogram,” she said. “Now, I put on a brave face for myself and for everyone fighting cancer, knowing there are people in the community doing their best to rally behind them.”

After 12 months, NAFC will present the data collected from Oceana to various stakeholders who participate in cancer care. Oceana’s hope is to see revisions that update guidelines and approaches to breast cancer screenings, with special considerations given to vulnerable populations.

“We could have never imagined the meaningful impact this project now has,” Motii said, “and we would have never known unless we tried.”

Alex Morse is AAPA’s Communications Manager. She can be reached at [email protected].

You May Also Like
Raising Awareness for Breast Cancer Is a Personal Mission for PA Adriana Posadas
PA Student Sabrina Leonard Prioritizes Advocacy and Community Involvement
Going Above and Beyond: One PA’s Mission to Deliver Critical Care by Air