PA Program at College of Medicine welcomes new class

The Physician Assistant (PA) Program at Penn State College of Medicine welcomed its entering class of 2016 during its annual White Coat Ceremony on May 24. The 30 students were presented with their white coats, symbolizing their entrance into the medical profession.

Welcome remarks at the ceremony were provided by Dr. A. Craig Hillemeier, dean and CEO, and Christine Bruce, director of the PA Program. The keynote speaker was Matt Baker, provost at Philadelphia University, executive dean of the College of Science, Health and the Liberal Arts, and professor, Physician Assistant Studies.

Following the distribution of the coats, the students joined with faculty to recite the Physician Assistant Professional Oath. In addition, alumni in attendance from previous College of Medicine PA classes were recognized.

The program fills an important need, as PAs hold increasingly important roles in the examination, diagnosis and treatment of patients at medical practices across the country.

The entering class was selected from a pool of 3,300 applicants. The class comprises 18 women and 12 men from 12 different states. The class has an average GPA of 3.6, average GRE score of 316, and averaged more than 3,800 healthcare hours prior to entering the PA program.

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