Advanced Practice Providers
Our Endocrinology practice includes specialty staff such as Nurse Practitioners (“NP’s”) and Physician Assistants (“PA’s”). NP’s complete training as a registered nurse before obtaining a masters degree. PA’s complete an undergraduate degree prior to entry into a Physician Assistant program. By the time they complete their education and extensive clinical training it is common for an NP or a PA to have one or more master’s degrees, and possibly a doctorate. Both must pass rigorous professional examinations and be licensed to practice by the states in which they work.
Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants on our specialty staff obtain and record medical histories, diagnose and treat various conditions, order medical tests, x-rays and prescriptions, and provide preventive as well as follow-up care.
State laws regulate the scope of professional responsibilities and autonomy for both Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants. In our office practice, our specialty staff work with the supervision of our physicians. For more detailed information about Nurse Practitioners, visit www.aanp.org, the website for the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. For additional information about Physician Assistants, visit the website of the American Academy of Physician Assistants. There are also many other websites focusing on these healthcare professions.
High Quality Experts, High Quality Care
The training, experience and efforts of our Nurses, Medical Assistants, Nutritionists, Diabetes Educators, Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants, other technical and specialty staff all contribute to the ability of Endocrine Associates of Dallas to pursue our mission of providing quality patient care with a high level of expertise, optimal responsiveness and professional efficiency.
EAD Nurse Practitioners
Karla McHughes, RN, MS, NP-C
Karla McHughes, RN, MS, FNP-C has been a part of Endocrine Associates of Dallas in the Plano office since 2012. She graduated with honors with a Bachelor of Science degree from Texas Woman’s University in 2009 and a Master of Science degree in the specialty of Family Nurse Practitioner from Texas Woman’s University in 2011. Karla has co-authored written work for the Journal of Pediatric Care and has brought her skills to the fields of Family Practice, Cardiology, Internal Medicine and Endocrinology. She is licensed by the Texas Board of Nursing. She is certified through the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and has additional certifications from other specialty nursing and medical organizations.
She began her journey into the field of Endocrinology when she was diagnosed with a thyroid autoimmune disorder in 1996. Her passion is to empower patients to improve their quality of life through education and lifestyle management. Her areas of interest include weight management, cardiovascular risk reduction and thyroid disorders. In addition to patient care, she also participates in educating other healthcare providers about Diabetes, Obesity and Hypoparathyroidism.
Karla enjoys spending time with her husband, four children and 3 dogs. She has been a member of First Baptist Church of McKinney since 1992. She enjoys traveling, going to the movies, shopping, various forms of exercise and playing board games.
Sarah Ott, FNP-C
Sarah Ott is a Family Advanced Practice Nurse Practitioner, board-certified by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, and licensed by the state of Texas. She completed her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing at Indiana Wesleyan University in 2001. After a missions trip to Haiti in 2000, Sarah knew that she wanted to further her training so that she could provide the next level of patient care as a Nurse Practitioner. She was awarded a Master of Nursing from Indiana Wesleyan University in 2008.
She utilizes Betty Neuman’s treatment model with the goal to treat the whole person. In particular, she enjoys caring for patients with Diabetes, Thyroid dysfunction, and Obesity. Her goal is to empower patients so they can remove barriers and experience success in overcoming and controlling their medical conditions.
Sarah relocated to Dallas in 2014 from Indiana. Her greatest joy is raising her 2 sons, Isaac and Malachi. In her spare time, she enjoys honing her Texas Two-Step, being outdoors, and a good book. She is passionate about serving others and does so with Metro Relief and other local mission opportunities with her church.
Eric Whitworth, BBA, MPAS, PA-C
Eric Whitworth, PA-C earned his Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of North Texas in Denton, TX. He gained experience working in respiratory care with underserved communities in southwest Colorado. He became interested in Endocrinology due to the prevalence of diabetes and thyroid disease in these underserved populations, where access to medical care can be challenging.
In 2013, Eric completed his Master of Physician Assistant Studies and became professionally certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA). He is a current member of the Texas Academy of Physician Assistants, the Endocrine Society, as well as the American Association of Physician Assistants. His drive to improve health outcomes of patients with highly prevalent diseases has motivated him in the field of Endocrinology. Eric worked for Endocrine Associates of Dallas in (dates) before serving rural Endocrine patients in the Pacific Northwest. Although this was a rewarding experience, he has returned to Dallas and looks forward to continue caring for Endocrine patients at Endocrine Associates of Dallas. He will continue to advocate for patients to have affordable access to diabetes medications.
In his free time, he enjoys outdoor activities, including hiking, camping, cycling, as well as spending quality time with family and friends.
EAD Physician Assistants
Amanda Hart, PA-C
Amanda Hart is a Physician Assistant (it said Physician’s Assistant), board certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) and licensed by the state of Texas. She is originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, Pennsylvania in 2012 with a degree in Biology. She went on to earn her master’s degree in Physician Assistant Studies at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, Pennsylvania.
She previously worked in family medicine for two years at a certified rural health care clinic in Mannington, West Virginia. While working in family medicine she gained interest in endocrine disorders, and decided to specialize in Endocrinology. She joined Endocrine Associates of Dallas at the Plano office in 2017.
In her free time she volunteers with the American Boston Terrier Rescue. She also enjoys the outdoors and spending time with her husband and three Boston Terriers, Minnie, Daisy and Val.
