TODAY news - October 23, 2003

Thursday, October 23, 2003 TODAY

School of Allied Health Professions news

School of Allied Health Professions presents incoming physician assistant students with jackets

School of Allied Health Professions presents incoming physician assistant students with jackets

Carrington D. Horton (center) receives his physician assistant jacket from Allan Badashi, MS, MPAS, PA-C (left), didactic coordinator, physician assistant program, and Julie Lee, MPH, CHES, PA-C, assistant didactic coordinator, physician assistant program.

On Thursday, October 9, 20 students in the master’s degree physician assistant (PA) program received their white jackets during the fourth annual jacketing ceremony.

Faculty, friends, and family gathered at Randall Visitors Center for the ceremony, including several second-year PA students and individuals of previous graduating classes. This is the fourth class in the PA program, department of cardiopulmonary sciences, School of Allied Health Professions. The inaugural class graduated in June, 2002.

Craig R. Jackson, JD, MSW, dean, School of Allied Health Professions, greeted the group and extended his congratulations to the PA class of 2005. “We are here to show our support,” he said during the program. “I personally want to say to you, well done. We look forward to you doing great things.”

A brief history of the program was presented by Kenrick Bourne, DrPH, PA-C, director of the physician assistant program. He also welcomed the incoming class, accepting the challenge to shape them into successful professional PAs.

Joyce W. Hopp, PhD, MPH, dean emerita, School of Allied Health Professions, presents the keynote address at the physician assistant jacketing ceremony, Thursday, October 9.

“We are pleased you have chosen our program,” he told the students. “We will do our best to honor the trust you have placed in us.”

The keynote speaker for the evening, Joyce W. Hopp, PhD, MPH, dean emerita of the School of Allied Health Professions, explained the challenges faced while developing the PA program. Although LLU president B. Lyn Behrens, MBBS, had encouraged Dr. Hopp several years ago to start a physician assistant program, Dr. Hopp recalled how she was reluctant to do so, as clinical sites and faculty were hard to find.

Approximately five years ago, though, Dr. Hopp attended a conference on how the profession was formed in the 1960s. She listened to the man who founded the PA profession as he explained that the first PA class consisted of veteran medics. In this way, medical care was expanded, and veteran medics were able to utilize skills gained during military service.

“After I heard this, I told Dr. Behrens I would consider creating the program,” Dr. Hopp related to the audience. “But we had many things to overcome.”

Finding faculty and clinical sites, visits from accrediting teams, and budget concerns provided challenges. Despite criticism that it couldn’t be done, the master’s of physician assistant program at Loma Linda University was formed in just one year.

“It is always a privilege to watch you get these jackets,” Dr. Hopp told the class. “The insignia on the jacket says who you are, but it’s what is inside the jacket that will make the difference.”

Following the keynote address, alumni of the PA program extended their congratulations to the class of 2005. Kathy Rabago, MPA, PA-C, and Jonathan Rice, MPA, PA-C, of the 2002 class, reflected on their experience at LLU and what they have faced since graduation.

The students then received their jackets, assisted by Allan Bedashi, MS, MPAS, PA-C, didactic coordinator for the physician assistant program, and Julie Lee, MPH, CHES, PA-C, assistant didactic coordinator.

The evening concluded with Gerald Gavaz, MPAS, PA-C, clinical coordinator, leading the class in the physician assistant pledge.

The PA program at Loma Linda University now has 28 alumni after graduating the second class in June, 2003. Their performance on a national level is high, with 93 percent of the inaugural class passing the national boards on their first try. Roughly half of the second class has taken the Boards, with an 88 percent passing rate so far.

The program is also facing a growing number of applicants. There were approximately 425 applicants for the first year’s class. Just one month ago, the program began accepting applications for next year’s class, and there have already been more than 100 applicants.

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Thursday, October 23, 2003 TODAY