For our inaugural entry of the Alumni Spotlight series, Tacoma faculty member and MEDEX Alumni lead Jannelle Fukuji sat down with Mike Carter, PA-C, of MEDEX Tacoma Class 1, whose career reflects the full scope of the PA profession across clinical practice, leadership, education, and mentorship.
Alumni Spotlight: Mike Carter
By Jannelle Fukuji
For Mike Carter, PA-C, the path to becoming a PA began long before PA school.
Growing up in a military family, Mike spent time in West Virginia, South Carolina, Texas, and Washington. Healthcare was always part of his world: His mother worked as a nurse for more than forty years, and her dedication to caring for patients left a lasting impression.
Mike’s own entry into healthcare came through emergency medical services. After taking an EMT course and discovering how much he enjoyed the work, he eventually became a paramedic. The fast-paced environment and hands-on care appealed to him, but over time he found himself wanting a deeper understanding of the medicine behind the situations he encountered.
“I loved EMS and the paramedic career,” Mike explains. “But I felt limited by the scope of practice. We could do the procedures, but I wanted to understand the deeper pathophysiology behind what was happening with patients.”
That curiosity ultimately led him to pursue the PA profession and apply to the MEDEX Northwest PA Program.
Finding a Place at MEDEX
Mike was initially accepted to the MEDEX Yakima campus, but when the decision was made to close that campus, students were transferred to Tacoma.
“The Tacoma campus chose me,” Mike says with a laugh. “Luckily my mom lived there, so I became that stereotypical thirty-something living in his parents’ basement.”
Mike became part of the inaugural Tacoma campus class, an experience that allowed students to help shape the culture of a new campus while building strong connections with faculty and classmates.
One of Mike’s most meaningful experiences during PA school was helping establish the MEDEX Urban Grace Foot Clinic alongside his classmate Kate Osborne—an initiative that provided care to members of the Tacoma community while giving students valuable hands-on experience. (insert link of video here)
“That’s one of the memories that has really stayed with me,” he says.
Mentors Who Shaped the Journey
Like many MEDEX graduates, Mike credits several mentors with shaping his development as both a clinician and educator.
One of the most influential was Dr. Tim Evans, former medical director for the MEDEX program, whose teaching left a lasting impact on many students.
“He had the best teaching style,” Mike recalled. “He used a chalkboard and simple examples that made complex ideas clear. I still use those techniques in my own teaching today.”
Another pivotal mentor was Dr. Bryan Johnson, MD, of Whitman Medical Group in Colfax, Washington. During Mike’s rural family medicine rotation, Dr. Johnson exposed him to the full spectrum of patient care.
“We would see patients in clinic, run over to the emergency department to splint a leg, then head upstairs to check on admitted patients before coming back to clinic,” Mike recalls.
It was also during this rotation that Mike developed a strong interest in cardiology and heart failure management—knowledge that later influenced his work in critical care.
“He discovered my love of cardiology and gave me the basic pillars of heart failure management which resound with me to this day,” Mike recalled. “To give you an idea of how important he was to me, I, the man who left school to take a job in advanced heart failure and transplant at an academic medical center, followed by a highly autonomous role with an urban community MICU, almost took a job in family medicine!”
Practicing Medicine at Full Scope
Today, Mike practices medicine in the critical care unit with Virginia Mason Franciscan Health in the Puget Sound region, where he manages complex and high-acuity patients.
Critical care appealed to him because it allowed him to combine many aspects of medicine he enjoys: clinical reasoning, procedural skills, and teamwork.
“I love seeing pathophysiology in action,” he says. “In critical care you can often see the effects of your interventions almost immediately.”
Beyond the clinical work itself, Mike values the opportunity to support patients and families through some of the most challenging moments in their lives.
“One of the most meaningful parts of this work is helping people die well,” he says. “Supporting families through those moments is incredibly important.”
Staying Connected to MEDEX
Like many MEDEX alumni, Mike has remained closely connected to the program long after graduation.
He continues to support MEDEX as a preceptor, lecturer, mentor, and proctor, helping educate PA students and sharing the lessons he learned from mentors who shaped his own career.
For Mike, teaching often comes down to a moment of understanding.
“You see the moment when it clicks—when anatomy, physiology, and the patient in front of you come together,” he says. “That’s when students realize what medicine is really about.”
In addition to working with students, Mike contributes to PA fellowship training, helping prepare clinicians for the demands of high-acuity care and demonstrating the full scope of the PA profession.
A Personal Connection
Mike’s connection to MEDEX is also deeply personal.
His wife, Missy Carter, PA-C, is a graduate of the Tacoma campus herself. The two met shortly after Mike graduated, when he returned to give a lecture on ECG interpretation. As first impressions go, it didn’t start out in the best way, but clearly everything turned out OK in that regard, and it was also one of the best experiences of his professional life.
During the lecture, Mike had misspoken, and Missy was quick to point it out.
“At first I doubled down,” he says with a smile. “Then I realized she was right.”
Mike returned to the classroom the next day to correct the mistake and apologize—a moment that became an important lesson in humility.
“As someone who teaches adults now, that experience stuck with me. It’s important to admit when you’re wrong.”
Life Outside the ICU
Outside of medicine, Mike enjoys spending time outdoors and staying active. Cycling and trail running have become some of his favorite ways to recharge outside the hospital.
“Avid trail runner, amateur gravel biker, terrible triathlete,” Mike jokes.
Like many clinicians, he values the opportunity to step away from the intensity of critical care and return refreshed for the work he finds so meaningful.
A Message for Future PAs
Reflecting on his career, Mike credits MEDEX with shaping not only his clinical knowledge but also his perspective as a professional and mentor.
“The time I spent at MEDEX allowed me to grow in so many ways: in my knowledge, humility, and confidence,” he says.
His advice for students entering the profession reflects the lifelong learning that defines the practice of medicine.
“Keep learning. Never stop trying to better yourself. The more knowledge you have, the better clinician you will be—and the better care you can provide your patients.”
Today, Mike continues to practice medicine, teach, and mentor the next generation of clinicians, reflecting the full scope of the PA profession and the lasting connections many MEDEX alumni maintain with the program and the communities they serve.