Dear Friends of the PA Program,

Welcome to the Drexel University Physician Assistant Department newsletter. On behalf of the PA Program faculty, students and staff, thank you for your continued support.

Steeped in tradition, and our mission, the PA Program continues to grow and prosper as we prepare PAs for our changing healthcare system.  Our mission is our touchstone. The admissions process, the curriculum and the faculty and staff all contribute to serve the program’s mission to:

• Educate qualified primary care physician assistants.
• Promote the physician assistant profession.
• Improve healthcare delivery in rural and urban medically underserved areas. 

We were very pleased to welcome Laura Gitlin, PhD, an applied research sociologist and esteemed professor from Johns Hopkins University as the new dean of the College of Nursing and Health Professions and Stephanie Brooks, PhD, LCSW, LMFT, clinical professor, licensed couple and family therapist and clinical social work, as new associate dean for Academic Health Professions programs. Dr. Brooks has been at Drexel University (formerly MCP Hahnemann) since 1995.

Here are a few additional highlights from the last year:

• 44 percent of students from the PA Class of 2018 had their graduate project research published.
• PA students from the Class of 2019 and 2020 have participated in multiple service-learning projects in the community.
• Jennifer Hixon ’85 will receive the Sherry L. Stolberg Alumni Award and Joseph Zaweski ’00 will receive the P. Jean Drew, MD Award at the alumni reception on Monday, May 20, 2019 during the AAPA Conference..
• Danielle Moyer ’10 and Charles Stream, MPH, PA-C, assistant clinical professor, are featured as People of Purpose in the Nurturing Purpose exhibit for the College of Nursing and Health Professions. 
• Juanita Gardner, MPH, PS-C’88, assistant clinical professor, leads our team in the occupational health clinic.
• Ann Madden, MHS ‘11 PA-C, DFAAPA, assistant clinical professor, was awarded Teaching Excellence Award.
• Julie Kinzel, Med, PA-C, associate program director, and Allison Rusgo, MPH, MHS, PA-C, assistant clinical professor, will be launching our PANCE/PANRE Review Course online in March 2019.

On a personal note, on May 31, 2019, I will be handing off the leadership of the PA Department to Julie Kinzel, assistant clinical professor. Julie joined the Drexel PA program faculty in 2005 and is currently the associate program director. She is an outstanding educator, administrator and clinician. Please join me in congratulating Julie in her new role. I will be joining the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant.

I am deeply grateful to Drexel University for the opportunities provided to me during my 27 years at Drexel University. One of the highlights of my career is the collaboration with alumni, students, faculty, staff and administrators to build a Physician Assistant program that serves the needs of the students and the community.

The Drexel University Physician Assistant program is a leader in the world of physician assistant education because of the combined efforts of alumni, students, faculty, staff and administrators. Thank you again for the opportunity to be a part of your team.

Pat Auth, PhD, PA-C