Alain Raymond, a physician assistant and U.S. Navy veteran based in San Diego County, has been awarded the title of “2025 Locum Tenens Provider of the Year” by Locumpedia. This recognition highlights Raymond’s significant contributions to the healthcare field, particularly in cardiothoracic surgery, and reflects a career marked by dedication and resilience.
Raymond received the news while working a shift in the cardiac surgery unit. His staffing agent informed him of the nomination, which came as a surprise. “I thought, well, that’s great,” he stated, before returning to his duties. His journey from a young boy in Haiti to a distinguished healthcare professional showcases a unique blend of experiences across continents and combat zones.
Born in Haiti, Raymond emigrated to Montreal, Canada, as a child. He grew up bilingual in French and English, later moving to Florida for film school and subsequently to Los Angeles, where he pursued a career in entertainment. However, the events of September 11, 2001, shifted his focus. “I felt it was unfair that thousands of people were going about their business and ended up dead without any warning,” Raymond recalled. This sense of duty led him to enlist in the U.S. Navy.
During his military service, Raymond completed two combat tours in Fallujah, Iraq, as a Navy corpsman with the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion. His role required him to make split-second decisions in high-pressure situations, skills that would later prove invaluable in the operating room. He performed battlefield medical operations alongside trauma surgical teams and trained over 1,000 Marines as first responders.
The physician assistant profession has roots in military medicine. When specially trained corpsmen returned from Vietnam in the 1970s, they were enrolled in a formal program at Duke University, becoming the first PAs in the United States. Raymond credits his military background as the foundation of his current success: “I absolutely would not be here without my military background.”
After his military service, Raymond faced a pivotal decision: return to Los Angeles to revive his entertainment career or pursue medicine. With a family to consider, he chose the latter. He graduated from the highly competitive Stanford School of Medicine Physician Assistant Program and specialized in cardiothoracic surgery, working at major institutions like Sharp and Scripps in San Diego. He eventually expanded his career by taking locum tenens assignments with Aya Locums, a division of Aya Healthcare.
Now on his third locum assignment, Raymond currently collaborates with cardiothoracic surgeons in Orange County. He finds the locum model appealing due to its variety. “Every day is different,” he explained, noting the unique challenges that come with each patient and procedure. One of his most memorable experiences was at Cedars-Sinai, where he held a human heart for the first time, witnessing the resilience of life and the intricacy of the human body.
The role of physician assistants continues to grow in the United States, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting a 20% increase in PA employment by 2034. For Raymond, his commitment extends beyond clinical practice. He founded the Global MAP Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in San Diego that offers hands-on career exploration to students at no cost.
The foundation has already conducted two workshops. The first focused on cardiac surgery and included hands-on dissection of pig hearts, while the second introduced students to visual arts at a downtown gallery. Future workshops will cover filmmaking and music, with Raymond envisioning a unique model for education: a free private school that allows for curriculum control while ensuring access for all.
Raymond’s inspiration for the foundation stemmed from his children, who expressed curiosity about various life skills and arts. He had already been informally engaging them in these topics before formalizing his efforts. Additionally, he is developing a podcast titled “PA’s Voice,” which aims to highlight the diverse experiences of healthcare staff, from janitors to CEOs, emphasizing the human side of medicine.
When asked about the connection among his various pursuits, Raymond stated, “Every role is a different mission, and every mission follows the same logic: find the problem, fix it, move on to the next one.” He sees any recognition he receives as secondary to the fulfillment of accomplishing his tasks. “My reward is usually the accomplishment of the task,” he added. “When I accomplish the task, I just feel on top of the world. Getting recognized for the work is the cherry on top.”
To learn more about the Global MAP Foundation, visit www.globalmapfoundation.org.
