Joanne Rolls,
MPAS, PA-C, MEHP
Languages Spoken: English
Joanne Rolls, MPAS, MEHP, PA-C, is a Certified Physician Assistant and an Associate Professor (Clinical) at the University of Utah School of Medicine, Division of Physician Assistant Studies. She is a Family Medicine PA who serves University of Utah students and patients as a PA Educator and Family Medicine PA.
Ms. Rolls has been with the University of Utah PA program since 2012. She is highly involved with teaching first-year PA students, primarily history taking and physical exam skills. She is an active faculty advisor and also precepts second-year PA students during their Family Medicine clinical rotations. She has authored book chapters in the 2016 edition of Procedures for the Primary Care Provider (Edmunds), and the 2021 Advanced Pharmacology for Prescribers (Springer Publishing). She has published in the Journal of Physician Assistant Education, Academic Medicine, and JAAPA, and is a peer-reviewer for the Journal of Nurse Practitioners, Transgender Health, and LGBT Health. She has a background in emergency medicine, pre-hospital care, and wilderness medicine and is a Fellow of the Academy of Wilderness Medicine and the University of Utah Academy of Health Science Educators. She lectures regionally and nationally on wilderness medicine topics as well as LGBTQ+ healthcare issues. She is a member of the board of trustees of the Utah AIDS Foundation. At a national level, Ms. Rolls serves the Physician Assistant Education Association as a Facilitator for faculty skills development.
As a didactic educator, Ms. Rolls has a special interest in teaching reproductive and sexual health, quality improvement principles, laboratory medicine, excellent history taking and physical exam skills. Additionally, her academic interests include promoting adult learning principles in graduate medical education, and addressing diversity in healthcare and healthcare education. In order to advance her skills, she completed a Master's of Education for Health Professionals at Johns Hopkins University, in 2019.
Ms. Rolls grew up in Toledo, Ohio, and was a competitive rower at Boston University, where she received her Bachelor of Arts. She spent many years in Colorado working in pre-hospital care and volunteering with a mountain search and rescue team prior to moving to Salt Lake City to pursue her PA training at the University of Utah PA program.
She is currently not taking new patients
Clinical Locations
801-581-2000
Board Certification and Academic Information
| Academic Departments | Family & Preventive Medicine
-
Associate Professor (Clinical) Community Physician Group - Affiliated Midlevel Family & Preventive Medicine - Advanced Practice Clinician |
| Academic Divisions | Midlevels Physician Assistant Program |
| Board Certification | National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants |
Patient Rating
The Patient Rating score is an average of all responses to care provider related questions on our nationally-recognized Press Ganey Patient Satisfaction Survey.
Responses are measured on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the best score.
Likelihood of recommending care provider
5.0/ 5
Care provider's explanation of condition/problem
4.9/ 5
Care provider's effort to include me in decisions
5.0/ 5
Wait time at clinic
4.5/ 5
Care provider's concern for questions & worries
5.0/ 5
Patient Comments
Patient comments are gathered from our Press Ganey Patient Satisfaction Survery and displayed in their entirety. Patients are de-identified for confidentiality and patient privacy.
UofU Patient
October 02, 2022
SUGAR HOUSE HEALTH CENTER
Joanne is always amazing. Her student (Topa?) was also terrific.
UofU Patient
October 01, 2022
SUGAR HOUSE HEALTH CENTER
Jo is great!
UofU Patient
September 02, 2022
SUGAR HOUSE HEALTH CENTER
Joanne Rolls is the best PA. I've been to Drs in multiple states and her care and time she takes is unparalleled. If I could rate a 10+ I would.
UofU Patient
August 08, 2022
SUGAR HOUSE HEALTH CENTER
Dr. Rolls is the best!
UofU Patient
July 08, 2022
SUGAR HOUSE HEALTH CENTER
Jo is amazing. 5 stars!
UofU Patient
July 06, 2022
SUGAR HOUSE HEALTH CENTER
Amazing job answering all my questions.
UofU Patient
June 15, 2022
SUGAR HOUSE HEALTH CENTER
Joanne is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! She is so warm, thoughtful, knowledgeable, fun, spunky, and most importantly she listens and shows genuine care/concern. We very much appreciate the high quality of care she provides. Thank You!
UofU Patient
May 18, 2022
SUGAR HOUSE HEALTH CENTER
Jo Rolls is a wonderful provider. Extremely helpful during this visit, as she has for many appointments in the past.
UofU Patient
May 01, 2022
SUGAR HOUSE HEALTH CENTER
I always feel listened to and included in my health decision with Dr Rolls
UofU Patient
April 18, 2022
SUGAR HOUSE HEALTH CENTER
Jo is an excellent PCP! She is caring, competent and has been really helpful helping me find any and all referrals I have needed. She provides me with exceptional care.
UofU Patient
April 09, 2022
SUGAR HOUSE HEALTH CENTER
This clinician is 100x's better than an MD I've ever been to@
UofU Patient
April 05, 2022
SUGAR HOUSE HEALTH CENTER
Would have liked a biopsy done on site instead of having to make another appointment (and another co-pay), but time restrictions didn't allow
UofU Patient
April 01, 2022
SUGAR HOUSE HEALTH CENTER
Joanne is amazing! I am so glad to be back in her care. She pays attention to me and all my needs. She remembers me and asks me about personal things in my life, not just basic medical questions. She makes a visit to the doctor very pleasant.
UofU Patient
March 26, 2022
SUGAR HOUSE HEALTH CENTER
Dr. JoAnn Rolls is The Best of the Best'. She feels like a knowledgeable - caring, friend. She make you feel valued. She never makes you feel bad or ashamed. She tries to figure out what is the problem. She never makes you feel like a #. She never is too hurried through the appointment. She is thorough. She does not guess what is wrong.she backs up her hunches with evidence. In all, Dr. Rolls is the very Best that Sugarhouse or the University Hospital has to offer!!
UofU Patient
March 18, 2022
SUGAR HOUSE HEALTH CENTER
Dr Rolls is an amazing, knowledgeable and compassionate provider. I am thankful she is my primary care provider.
UofU Patient
March 12, 2022
SUGAR HOUSE HEALTH CENTER
Joanne Rolls, PA-C, verbally reflected back to me exactly how I was feeling when I was discussing with her my concerns about my depression.
UofU Patient
February 13, 2022
SUGAR HOUSE HEALTH CENTER
I recommend Joanne Rolls all the time to everybody because she is just down to earth and a very caring funny doctor which makes the visits with her that much more comfortable.
UofU Patient
December 28, 2021
SUGAR HOUSE HEALTH CENTER
Extremely receptive to my input on where I'd like to go with my meds, very kind and personable.
UofU Patient
December 19, 2021
SUGAR HOUSE HEALTH CENTER
I adore Jo so very much she is so patient and non judgmental and tries to get to the root of her patients issues. Because it's not always about being incomplient sometimes you have other factors that are in the way of what needs to be done and Jo fully understands that.
UofU Patient
November 06, 2021
SUGAR HOUSE HEALTH CENTER
Always really helpful with lots of info and support, as well as professional recommendations.
UofU Patient
October 11, 2021
SUGAR HOUSE HEALTH CENTER
Joanna Rolls is amazing. She is kind, knowledgeable and understanding. She made my daughter feel better in a tough situation. She gave my daughter the decision in her own care. She showed true concern.
UofU Patient
September 11, 2021
SUGAR HOUSE HEALTH CENTER
I live Jo so much she has a quality of care for her patients that is unmatched anywhere I love her bedside manner you may have to wait a bit to be seen by her but it's so worth it she never makes you feel rushed.
UofU Patient
September 11, 2021
SUGAR HOUSE HEALTH CENTER
Joanne is the best Dr. Out there hands down! She is caring and understanding and really takes time to listen!
UofU Patient
August 23, 2021
SUGAR HOUSE HEALTH CENTER
I came with a list of questions and my PA established a great rapport and walked me through each question I had. I felt like I was in great hands.
UofU Patient
July 29, 2021
SUGAR HOUSE HEALTH CENTER
Joanne Rolls is amazing she is my favorite PA ever. My only complaint is the blood test results came back but I still haven't heard from anyone in regards to the findings. But perhaps she is out of the office which is fine I am very patient.
UofU Patient
July 24, 2021
SUGAR HOUSE HEALTH CENTER
Jo is the best general practitioner I've ever seen. She makes me feel seen and heard and she takes the time to ask questions to really understand what's going on.
UofU Patient
July 21, 2021
SUGAR HOUSE HEALTH CENTER
Joanne Rolls is an EXCELLENT care provider! She is personable, listens attentively, and genuinely cares. My husband and I appreciate the care she provides and the sense of trust we have in her. She's THE BEST!
UofU Patient
July 19, 2021
SUGAR HOUSE HEALTH CENTER
Dr Rolls is the best....
UofU Patient
June 21, 2021
SUGAR HOUSE HEALTH CENTER
Jo is the very best pa. She is always so helpful.
Joanne Rolls, MPAS, MEHP, PA-C, is a Certified Physician Assistant and an Associate Professor (Clinical) at the University of Utah School of Medicine, Division of Physician Assistant Studies. She is a Family Medicine PA who serves University of Utah students and patients as a PA Educator and Family Medicine PA.
Ms. Rolls has been with the University of Utah PA program since 2012. She is highly involved with teaching first-year PA students, primarily history taking and physical exam skills. She is an active faculty advisor and also precepts second-year PA students during their Family Medicine clinical rotations. She has authored book chapters in the 2016 edition of Procedures for the Primary Care Provider (Edmunds), and the 2021 Advanced Pharmacology for Prescribers (Springer Publishing). She has published in the Journal of Physician Assistant Education, Academic Medicine, and JAAPA, and is a peer-reviewer for the Journal of Nurse Practitioners, Transgender Health, and LGBT Health. She has a background in emergency medicine, pre-hospital care, and wilderness medicine and is a Fellow of the Academy of Wilderness Medicine and the University of Utah Academy of Health Science Educators. She lectures regionally and nationally on wilderness medicine topics as well as LGBTQ+ healthcare issues. She is a member of the board of trustees of the Utah AIDS Foundation. At a national level, Ms. Rolls serves the Physician Assistant Education Association as a Facilitator for faculty skills development.
As a didactic educator, Ms. Rolls has a special interest in teaching reproductive and sexual health, quality improvement principles, laboratory medicine, excellent history taking and physical exam skills. Additionally, her academic interests include promoting adult learning principles in graduate medical education, and addressing diversity in healthcare and healthcare education. In order to advance her skills, she completed a Master's of Education for Health Professionals at Johns Hopkins University, in 2019.
Ms. Rolls grew up in Toledo, Ohio, and was a competitive rower at Boston University, where she received her Bachelor of Arts. She spent many years in Colorado working in pre-hospital care and volunteering with a mountain search and rescue team prior to moving to Salt Lake City to pursue her PA training at the University of Utah PA program.
She is currently not taking new patients
Academic Locations
801-587-3355
Research Statement
Joanne Rolls, MPAS, PA-C has a strong interest in both education and clinical research. Ms. Rolls earned a Master's in Education for Health Professionals at Johns Hopkins University in a research track. Her research thus far has focused on the impact that one-time federal funding grants can have on expanding physician assistant training, student wellness, curricular innovation, sexual and gender minority health and curricula.
Board Certification and Academic Information
| Academic Departments | Family & Preventive Medicine
-
Associate Professor (Clinical) Community Physician Group - Affiliated Midlevel Family & Preventive Medicine - Advanced Practice Clinician |
| Academic Divisions | Midlevels Physician Assistant Program |
| Board Certification | National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants |
Education History
| Graduate Training | Johns Hopkins University Master of Education for the Health Professional MEHP, 2019 |
| Graduate Training | University of Utah Master's of Physician Assistant Studies M.P.A.S., 2012 |
| Undergraduate | Boston University English Literature/History B.A., 2001 |
Selected Publications - Journal Articles
Journal Article
- Rolls J Showstark M Jones Q Bruessow D Kluznik J (2022). Promising Practices in Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Curriculum Inclusion. J Physician Assist Educ, 33(4), 346-351.
- Rolls J, Lessard D, Smith T, Keahey D (2021). Outcomes of HRSA-Funded Expansion of Physician Assistant Training Grants 2011-2016. J Physician Assist Educ, 32(3), 143-149.
- Handy R, Spackman J, Moloney-Johns A, Loder R, Curran S, Valentin V, Rolls J, Schaefer C (2021). Administering a Physician Assistant Program During the COVID-19 Pandemic. J Physician Assist Educ, 32(2), 119-122.
- Rolls J, Davis J, Backman R, Wood T, Honda T (2020). Curricular Approaches to Transgender Health in Physician Assistant Education. Acad Med, 95(10), 1563-1569.
- Rolls J (2019). Be Human. Be Kind. Acad Med, 94(6), 770.
- Rolls J, Keahey D (2016). Durability of Expanded Physician Assistant Training Positions Following the End of Health Resources and Services Administration Expansion of Physician Assistant Training Funding. J Physician Assist Educ, 27(3), 101-4.
Review
Book Chapter
- Diane M Bruessow and Joanne Rolls (2021). Pharmacotherapy Related to Transgender Care. In Luu, B. Kayingo, G. Hass, V. (Eds.), Advanced Pharmacology for Prescribers (pp. 453-471). Danvers, MA: Springer Publishing Company.
- Marilyn Edmunds et al (2016). Chapter 4: HEENT Procedures. In Edmunds et al (Ed.), Procedures for the Primary Care Provider (Third). Elsevier.
- Marilyn Edmunds et al (2016). Chapter 7: Gastrointestional Procedures. In Edmunds et al (Ed.), Procedures for the Primary Care Provider (Third). Elsevier.
- Jordan K, Macri T et al (2016). Gender-Specific Considerations. In PSIA-AASI Freestyle Technical Manual. American Snowsports Education Association, Inc.
Other
- Hobson-Rohrer W, Rolls J, Wilson R (2022). Hobson-Rohrer W, Rolls J, Wilson R. How to Master Education in the Health Professions. Accelerate Learning Community. Feb 7, 2022.
- Joanne Rolls (Summer 2014). Inter-professional Student-Run Clinic Improves Access for Uninsured. Illuminations - The Magazine of The School of Medicine Alumni Association.
Video/Film/CD/Web/Podcast
- Rolls J (2019). Be Human. Be Kind. [Podcast]. Academic Medicine Podcast Series. Available: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/academic-medicine-podcast/id1112697692?mt=2.
- Cobb, Nadia, et al (03/01/2018). Clinical Prevention & Population Health Curriculum Framework: Social Determinants of Health Case Studies [Web]. Washington, DC: Association for Prevention Teaching and Research. Available: https://www.teachpopulationhealth.org/geriatricsdohcases.html.
- Rolls, Joanne Gunning, Karen (02/26/18). How an Excellent Clinician Becomes an Excellent Teacher [Web]. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Health, Accelerate. Available: https://uofuhealth.utah.edu/accelerate/blog/2018/02/karen-gunning-joanne-rolls-share-how-an-excellent-clinician-becomes-an-excellent-teacher.php?utm_source=email&utm_medium=constant-contact&utm_campaign=Changemakers&utm_content=1B-gunningrolls.
- Joanne Rolls, MPAS, PA-C (01/16/18). "Bad News:" Any information which adversely and seriously affects and individual's view of his or her future. [Web]. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Family Medicine Division. Available: https://fammedvitalsigns.com/2018/01/16/bad-news-any-information-which-adversely-and-seriously-affects-an-individuals-view-of-his-or-her-future/.