Physician Assistant Studies

Program Director and Assistant Professor

Division Chief, Physician Assistant Studies

Education:

• 2006 - Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences, Physician Assistant Studies concentration, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH
• 2001 - Dietetic Internship, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA
• 1999 - Bachelor of Science, Human Nutrition/Dietetics concentration, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO

Interests:

• Assessment/Accreditation
• Emergency Medicine
• Family Medicine
• Health Care Policy
• Nutrition
• Social Determinants of Health
• Wellness

Bio:

Professor Izsak began her health care career as a registered dietitian with the Epilepsy team at Children's Memorial Hospital (now Lurie Children's) in Chicago, IL. There she provided ketogenic diet education, treatment, and support to pediatric patients and their families.

She later graduated from the University of Toledo Physician Assistant (PA) Program, where her professors inspired her to pursue a career in PA education. After graduation, she practiced emergency medicine at NorthShore University HealthSystem (NUH) in Evanston, IL. There, she precepted PA students, lectured, and helped support the NP/PA Emergency Medicine Fellowship. In 2016, while continuing to practice in the emergency department, she joined the faculty of the Rosalind Franklin University PA Program in North Chicago, IL, where she served as Co-Director fo Didactic Curriculum.

In fall 2019, Professor Izsak and her family returned to Toledo, where she became associate program director of the UToledo PA Program. She has served as program director since August 2022. She also practiced in the Department of Family Medicine until 2024, when she moved to a full-time role leading the program.

Professor Izsak is passionate about her alma mater, PA education, the Toledo community, and the high-quality care physician assistants provide.

 Publications:

• Izsak, K., Landis, E., Katich, M., Riddick, V., Palma, T., & Barry, R. A. (2025). Evaluation of an Integrated Multicomponent Wellness Curriculum With Perceived Stress Levels in Physician Assistant Students. The Journal of Physician Assistant Education, 37(1), 78–86. https://doi.org/10.1097/JPA.0000000000000703
• Tull, M. T., Spitzen, T. L., Gardner, A., Mitchell, K., Gratz, K. L., Izsak, K., & DeShetler, L. M. (2026). Consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic for health profession students: Perceptions about academic program responsiveness and mental health outcomes. Translation: The University of Toledo Journal of Medical Sciences, 16(1), e1–e10. https://doi.org/10.46570/utjms-2026-1654
• Chaudhri, P., Zahra, A., & Izsak, K. (2023). Social determinants of health: From WHO and how to you and now. Ohio Family Physician, 75(1), 20–21.
• Laux, L. C., Devonshire, K. A., Kelley, K., Kent, K. R., Goldstein, J., & Nordli, D. R., Jr. (2004). Efficacy of the ketogenic diet in myoclonic epilepsy of Doose [Abstract]. Epilepsia, 45(Suppl. 1), 251.