Richard Rohrs

Richard Rohrs, PA-C, DFAAPA, SFHM, is a 1977 graduate of the then Essex Community College/Johns Hopkins PA program and has practiced internal medicine for the last 40 years.

He is currently the assistant vice president of provider operations at Northwestern Hospital, Lifebridge Health where he works in close collaboration with the president and medical staff leadership to align provider and hospital goals. Mr. Rohrs also oversees the medical education department and serves as community liaison for the magnet school partnerships with Baltimore City and County public schools.

Over the course of his career, Mr. Rohrs has served as president and chair on numerous boards including the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) and the National Commission on the Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA). He was named Outstanding PA of the Year by the Maryland Academy in 1987 and by the AAPA in 2000. Most recently, Mr. Rohrs served as president of the National PA Foundation and is currently board treasurer of the NCCPA Health Foundation.

As part of the PA profession’s 50th anniversary celebration, Rick was named one of “50 PAs making a difference” by the National Commission on the Certification of Physician Assistants and received the first ever distinguished life service award from the Maryland Academy. In 2015, he received the prestigious honor of Senior Fellow in Hospital Medicine by the Society of Hospital Medicine.

Today, Mr. Rohrs holds multiple faculty appointments including CCBC-Essex, George Washington University (GWU) and Towson University. He currently chairs the CCBC/Towson PA Program Advisory Committee and has chaired the self-study committee for GWU where he was awarded the Outstanding Community Service award in 2019. He has been actively involved as a lecturer and preceptor for physician assistant and medical students for over forty years and has led international workforce development delegations to the Netherlands, Taiwan, Great Britain, China, Canada, Brazil and most recently to Cuba. He has also done humanitarian missions to Africa.

“We are so proud to recognize Richard as our 2020 Distinguished Alumnus” said Ann-Marie Thornton, director of development and alumni relations. “He is respected both nationally and internationally in the profession, yet he is quick to point out his roots at Essex Community College. Richard is always willing to give back to CCBC by supporting the students and the program, and he is truly a model of success for which our students strive.”