Gerald T Simons MPAS, DFAAPA, PA-C
Jerry is a member of the PA faculty at the Southampton campus. His family traces its Hampton's roots back to 1685. He is active in the local East End community. After working as a critical care EMT, Jerry graduated from the Stony Brook University Cardiorespiratory Science program in 1993. While at Stony Brook, he played tennis and was active in the Stony Brook Volunteer Ambulance Corps. After working as a respiratory therapist, he enrolled in the Weill Cornell Medical PA Program, where he was president of the Student Society. After PA school, he worked in general/laparoscopic surgery and part-time in urgent care/primary care. As part of his wound care training, he became certified in Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine and has cared for divers with medical issues for years. Growing up on Long Island, he also became interested in tick-borne diseases, and he has treated complex patients and worked with scientific and support groups. He is conducting an IRB-approved study on the connection between Lyme disease and fatigue. He is a founding scientific advisor for the Stony Brook Southampton Hospital Regional Tick-borne Disease Research Center. View my recent presentation offered by the Quogue Wildlife Refuge titled Ticks and Tick Born Diseases - What You Need to Know.
Jerry is a long-time member of the AAPA, and is a well-known AAPA CME lecturer. He is a subject matter expert in GI conditions. He is the Chief Delegate for surgery to the AAPA legislative body, the House of Delegates. Jerry has been a two-time president of the American Association of Surgical PAs and is a long-time member of the Board. Jerry directs the AASPA national wound care workshops and pre-PA education and helps coordinate POCUS training. On a state level, he has volunteered as secretary, CME lecturer, and committee chair of the NY State Society of PAs.
Jerry has received the March of Dimes Health Career Award, the prestigious Kirklin Award for Excellence in Surgical Skills as a PA (less than 25 have been awarded in more than 40 years), the 2024 AASPA National Preceptor of the Year award, NYSSPAs 2024 award for original research, is a past NY State Society of PAs Educator of the Year and has received more than 10 university awards for academic teaching. He has received the Fireman of the Year award from the Springs Fire Department (East Hampton, NY). In 2010, he was awarded the National Humanitarian award by the Turn the Corner Foundation (now Global Lyme Alliance) for his dedication to treating complex patients with Lyme disease. NPR, WUSB radio, the New York Times Science Section, Redbook Magazine, Shape Magazine, and Experience Life Magazine have interviewed him.
Through the Southampton campus, Jerry coordinates the Surgery academic unit, clinical rotations in Surgery, and teaches many GI, microbiome, and gut-brain lectures.
His wife of more than 25 years is a Robotic Surgical Nurse, his daughter directs the NYU hackathon, and his son is a college undergraduate studying science and technology.
