Congressman Ron Klein to deliver keynote address at NSU’s Health Professions Division Commencement

NSU to graduate Florida’s first class of anesthesiologist assistant students

FT. LAUDERDALE-DAVIE Fla. – U.S. Rep. Ron Klein, D-Boca Raton, will be speaking at Nova Southeastern University’s Health Professions Division’s commencement on Sunday, Aug. 24.

The 2 p.m. ceremony will take place at NSU’s University Center Arena. Among the 494 graduates participating in the event will be 29 graduates from Florida’s first anesthesiologist assistant program located at NSU. This is the fifth program of its type in the U.S.

As the keynote speaker, Congressman Klein will be talking about the importance of education and having young professionals in the health care fields to keep the community safe, healthy and strong.

He will also be talking about the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) Extension Act of 2007, Higher Education Opportunity Act and Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act. Klein voted in favor of all three.

The SCHIP Extension Act provides a short-term extension of expiring funding provisions for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program and others. The Higher Education Opportunity Act makes college education more accessible and affordable for all Americans. The Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act eliminated a 10 percent payment reduction for Medicare physicians previously scheduled to go into effect on July 1.

During his career, Klein has fought for meaningful homeowner’s insurance reform as a member of the House Finance Services Committee. He also worked with his colleagues to pass the Homeowner’s Defense Act to provide relief for Florida, where the cost of homeowners’ insurance has become out of reach.

As a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Klein worked to promote America’s national security by ending our dependence on foreign oil, reassessing our Middle East policies, fighting for accountability in Iraq, and promoting a responsible foreign policy based on cooperation with our international allies.

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Klein is the son of a schoolteacher and small business owner. He earned his law degree from Case Western Reserve University Law School before he and his wife moved to Florida.

He was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 1992, and to the State Senate in 1996.

Klein will be speaking to NSU graduates in the areas of physician assistant, occupational therapy, physical therapy, health science, vascular sonography, audiology, nursing, among others.

The first NSU graduating class of anesthesiologist assistant students began their 27-month program in 2006.  Because the field is in high demand, all of these graduates are guaranteed jobs that offer a starting salary between $120,000 and $150,000, according to Robert Wagner, M.M.Sc., AA-C., an NSU professor in the anesthesiologist assistant program.

Experienced anesthesiologist assistants can easily or expect to earn $180,000.

Since the job market is so hot, some NSU AA students’ tuitions are being subsidized by anesthesiologist assistant health care providers.

Florida is only one of 22 states that allow anesthesiologist assistants to practice their trade. Wagner was instrumental in getting state lawmakers to allow the practice in the Sunshine State.

Having anesthesiologist assistants will “open up more access for patients to have surgery,” Wagner said.

Media Contact:
Ken Ma, NSU Office of Public Affairs
954-262-5354 Office, 954-830-4177 Cell, kennma@nova.edu