Senate committee forwards Samantha Smith's medical‑board nomination after mixed public testimony

The Senate Health and Social Services Committee on April 3 reviewed the nomination of Samantha (Sam) Smith to serve as the physician‑assistant representative on the Alaska State Medical Board and voted to forward the appointment to a joint session for consideration under AS 39.05.080.

Samantha Smith introduced herself and described a four‑year Alaska practice in functional and regenerative medicine after training on the East Coast. She told the committee she moved to Alaska to provide care in underserved communities and said she wants to "apply to serve on the medical board" so Alaskans can "trust their medical provider to provide safe evidence based practice." Smith said she has been a board appointee for about a month and had attended two State Medical Board meetings.

Public testimony included several opponents and at least one supporter. Betsy Dowd's Pacvan (identified in the record as a practicing PA in Anchorage) and Jenny (Jennifer) Fayette, a practicing PA with more than a decade of experience, testified against the appointment. Their written submissions and oral testimony argued Smith lacks broad Alaska clinical experience, is relatively early in her Alaskan practice, practiced in a specialized setting unlike most PAs in the state, and had made statements in prior testimony the opponents said compared Alaska unfavorably with East Coast care.

Candice Hickle, a PA with 17 years' practice who said she had read more than 25 letters from PAs across the state, also urged opponents to the appointment. Hickle said the letters raised repeated themes that Smith's clinical practice and experience do not reflect typical PA practice in Alaska and that concerns included an alleged HIPAA violation in prior testimony and questions about collaborative relationships with local PA organizations.

Dr. Don Hudson, a long‑time Alaska physician who supervises Smith, spoke in support. He said he had reviewed charts, worked with Smith at regular intervals, and described clinical arrangements in which Smith does not require a DEA to perform the clinic services she provides. Hudson said he has collaborative agreements with multiple PAs and described his supervisory relationship with Smith.

Committee members asked Smith about aspects of Board work, including licensing, disciplinary and investigatory processes, and how she would handle licensure applications flagged by the licensing team. Smith said she would investigate applications that show prior academic probation or other "yes" answers by calling programs, previous employers and state boards and, when appropriate, consider probationary licensing to protect patients while allowing supervised practice.

Concerns raised in testimony and questions included whether Smith had a DEA registration (witnesses said most Alaska PAs hold a DEA), whether she has experience in emergency or federally qualified health center settings, and whether prior statements indicated insufficient familiarity with Alaska practice and privacy rules. Smith told the committee she does not currently hold a DEA and said her current practice emphasizes non‑pharmaceutical approaches; she also said she had trained with emergency medicine but had not worked in an emergency department.

In accordance with AS 39.05.080, the committee "has reviewed and recommends that the appointment of physician's assistant Samantha Smith to the State Medical Board be forwarded to a joint session for consideration." The chair noted that signing the committee report does not indicate individual members' approval or disapproval of the nominee.

The transcript records the committee's procedural recommendation to forward the appointment; the committee did not record a roll‑call confirmation vote in the transcript. Written comments and letters referenced in testimony were submitted to the committee record.