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Before Jan. 28, 2008, he has to graduate from college, find housing near Akron and welcome his third child into the world. But then Physician Assistant Paul R. Niles will be the new physician assistant at the Akron Mercy Medical Clinic. He is replacing Physician Assistant Bob Watson, who retired. “Life is interesting, always different, always changing, never stagnant,” said Niles about his tasks in the new few months. “That’s the way I like it.” “That’s why I chose medicine,” he added. “Things are always changing, and I love medicine.” Niles and his wife, Jessica, have two children: Jordan, 6, and Caleb, 2; and their third child is due in December, the same week he graduates from the University of South Dakota with a masters of science in Physician Assistant Studies. The Sioux City native graduated from Bishop Heelan Catholic High School in 1994 and graduated Magna Cum Laude with a bachelor of science degree from Morningside College in 1998. He majored in biology and achieved minors in English and chemistry. When he’s not studying, he enjoys spending time with his family, reading, running and doing landscaping. His wife is employed as a school psychiatrist with the Northwest Area Education Agency in Sioux City. His parents are Dolores and Gary Niles of Sioux City. Niles is a member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants, South Dakota Academy of Physician Assistants, Iowa Society of Physician Assistants and Student Academy of American Academy of Physician Assistants. He has previous medical experience, including completing many clinics in the areas of family medicine, pediatrics, general surgery, internal medicine, endocrinology, dermatology, cardiology, emergency medicine, obstetrics- ynecology and psychiatry. These clinics have been in Sioux City and Akron in Iowa; Wagner, Dakota Dunes and Sioux Falls in South Dakota, and in Honolulu, Hawaii. In 2007, he created a poster on “Examining the efficacy of the South Beach Diet versus exercise alone in adults in weight reduction” at the South Dakota Academy of Physician Assistants Spring Conference and gave a presentation entitled “Acquired Nephrogenic Diabetes Insipidus” at the organization’s Fall Conference. “There were multiple offers on the table for me to choose from,” said Niles. “The clinic I was most impressed with was this one. It was very professional and really down to- earth, too. And, that’s important in medicine because the patient has to  be able to open up to you, tell you their fears and dreams.” “It’s a good community,” he said. “It’s a small town in a beautiful area. I’m from northwest Iowa and I wasn’t really looking to go anywhere else.” “There were several people interviewed for this job,” said Watson, “and we thought Paul would fit in the nicest.” Niles completed a rural medicine rotation at Akron Mercy Medical Clinic in May. “We were very impressed by his knowledge and his willingness to learn,” said Watson, adding Niles will fit well in the Akron team. “I think he will fit in very nicely here and the patients will get good care from him.”