Elynn and her two grandaughters Alice & Harriet born two days apart in October 2011.

Elynn Welle, CNP

Education Preparation: Master's in Science from Winona State. BS from St. Ben's.

Specialty: Family Med, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN

Population Served: NE Clinic - all ages and shapes

Research interests or publications: diabetes, women's health.

Biggest change you have seen in your career: One of the things I've been noticing is, institutionally, less emphasis on "general medical exams" and less time allowed to do them well. There has also been a huge increase in diagnostic testing over the years. When I started in 1997 we rarely ordered CTs, for example, and even with blood tests there was a definite "less in more" attitude among ordering providers.  Now we have so many more tests to choose from and they seem to be ordered so much more liberally. I think the two go hand in hand - we're not given as much time to get a complete history or do a thorough exam so we're relying more on tests for diagnosis.

Biggest change you would like to see in your career: I'm very much looking forward to having my own panel of patients as Mayo implements this practice in the next few months. I'm hoping the process of "teaming" NP/PA providers with MD providers in primary care will continue to evolve into a clinical practice where both provider types truly collaborate in providing chronic disease management as well as acute access.

Pearl of Wisdom: Be mindful of the need to ask the right questions and then listen to your patients. They will tell you what you need to know.

Other comments about what this career has to offer: I'm completing my term as president of Join the Journey, a local non-profit who's mission is to increase breast cancer awareness and offer support to individuals on their breast cancer journey. It's been a great 'aside' to both my professional life and my personal life and it's been amazing how transferable those nursing skills are (communicating, assessing, organizing, planning, evaluating)!