News Story - Idaho State Journal

POCATELLO -- Having worked a 23-year career in the U.S. Navy, Daniel Buchin can empathize with the veterans who come to the Pocatello VA Outpatient Clinic for treatment.

During the past seven years of working at the local clinic, Buchin, a certified physician assistant, has developed a reputation among the veterans for being particularly conscientious about their needs.

On Wednesday morning, the veterans got to thank their favorite medical provider by presenting him with a distinguished national award. Outside of the clinic's main entrance, a group of members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars presented Buchin with a certificate naming him as the 2007-2008 Outstanding VA Health Care Employee of the Year for the state of Idaho.

The Navy brought Buchin to Eastern Idaho. He spent the first eight years of his military career as a corpsman and worked as a physician assistant until he retired from the Navy in 1994.

"I've spent a large portion of my life working with veterans and the military," Buchin said. "I really enjoy helping (veterans) out and helping guys coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan and getting them into the system and the help they need."

Buchin earned his bachelor of science degree in health sciences at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and graduated as a physician assistant from the Naval School of Health Sciences in Portsmouth, Va.

He is president-elect of the Idaho Academy of Physician Assistants, he's on the election committee for the American Academy of Physician Assistants, he's helped with the community's Homeless Stand Down, and he's part of the Medical Reserve Corps for Eastern Idaho.

Buchin also serves as an Episcopal Priest at Good Shepherd in Fort Hall and is a police chaplain for the Blackfoot Police Department. Additionally, he's a volunteer firefighter in training for Blackfoot.

He was nominated by Walter Parker, the District 7 commander of the VFW.

"He's been my doctor and he's helped me through diabetes and some other problems I've had," Parker said. "He knows what we've been through."

Robert Fulton, District 7 chaplain with the VFW Post 735, added, "A lot of vets would trust him more than other doctors. A lot of veterans have trouble with doctors."

This document was originally published online on Thursday, August 07, 2008

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The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of our paper.

Dan Buchin wrote on Aug 7, 2008 9:27 AM:

" Good Morning;
Thank you so much for the wonderful article. I just want to point out that a Physician Assistant is not a doctor.
Sometimes this gets confusing but we do try to make this very clear to our patients. In the military, PA's and Medics are oten called "doc" becaue of what we do. This term/concept often carries through after the veteran leave active duty.
National PA week is the week of October 6th every year. It would be great if you could do an article about PAs then. Thank you.
Dan Buchin PA-C
President of the Idaho Academy of Physician Assistants "

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