News Archives
WFUSM PA Program Class of 2005 Master’s Symposium Successfully “Making a Difference”
Submitted by Debra L. Benfield, M.Ed., R.D., Master Project Director
The Second Annual WFUSM PA Program Master’s Symposium was held Thursday, April 28th, 2005. The theme for the Symposium was “Making a Difference” and was highlighted by a keynote address by Dr. Alice Ammerman, Director of the Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention at UNC Chapel Hill. Dr. Ammerman is a nationally recognized researcher utilizing Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR). Her keynote address was entitled “CBPR: Research that Makes a Difference”.
All forty-eight students in the Class of 2005 presented research findings either via poster presentations or 25 minute power-point presentations. All students submitted abstracts prior to the Symposium which allowed for the distribution of a Class of 2005 Master’s Symposium Compendium.
The presentations and posters were evaluated by the students themselves, their peers, and by faculty members and advisors. The student presenters also responded to questions and provided feedback about their Master Projects following their presentations or poster sessions. It was quite obvious that the students were enthusiastic about their research experience and proud of their successful completion of their Master Project!
Kudos to the Class of 2005 for successfully completing the Research Component of the WFUSM PA Program Curriculum!!!
Groundhog Visits PA Student on February 2, 2005
PA Program Update
by Zach Smith
Spring 2005
The Wake Forest School of Medicine physician assistant students have been very productive and diligent since the start of the program on June 7th. The second year students are busy testing their knowledge and gaining clinical experience on their rotations. As for the first year students, they have been developing their skills in the acquisition of basic, clinical, and behavioral science through the program’s problem based learning curriculum. In addition, both first and second year students are involved in Master’s Project research that is intended to have a specific and measurable impact on PA education or on community health policy and/or practice.
Although the PA students have been very busy clinically and academically, they found some time to participate in numerous community projects. Recently, the first year students participated in a peripheral vascular disease screening at Forsyth Medical Center and Davis Regional Medical Center, which was a very enjoyable experience for all students. Another successful event for the program was the KAS sponsored 5K race, which took place at Tanglewood Park. The 5K raised money to benefit SuperKids which is an organization lead by the Winston-Salem police department. Both second and first year students had a chance to work together to aid in building a house for Habitat for Humanity. A new addition to the program was an introduction to clinical experiences for first year students in which they were sent to various institutions to shadow other physician assistants.
Currently, the physician assistant students are in the process of planning a KAS sponsored golf tournament, taking part in the North Carolina Special Olympics, and signing up to participate in the Peds Pal program.
5K Run
The KAS Fall Start 5k Run/walk and Kid's Fun Run will take place on September 18, 2004 at Tanglewood Park in Clemmons , North Carolina . The Kid's Fun Run will begin at 8:00 and 5K at 8:30 on a road course throughout the park. Proceeds from this event will benefit the Wake Forest University School of Medicine Physician Assistant Program Katherine Anderson Society and The Winston Salem Police Department SuperKids Program. For further information please go to www.twincitytc.org to find out more information and obtain an application.
W-S Forsyth County School – Bio Summer
It's hot outside, the pools are open, and 30 bright and energetic students are giving up a few days of their summertime to get their hands into the biotech boom in Winston-Salem . BioSummer, an exploratory program designed to bring our young citizens into close contact with biotechnology, brought these young minds to the Wake Forest Physician Assistant Program on June 22. They met and were immediately “put to work” in the lab analyzing blood smears, performing physical exam maneuvers, and solving patient cases in our problem-based learning small groups. Recent graduates as well as current students volunteered to help with the experience, as the PA Program strives to increase local awareness of its importance to the future of medicine and the biotech movement afoot here in Winston-Salem . Student reactions were very positive, with several offering to skip their fall classes in middle or high school to enter the PA Program. While we're still reviewing their applications, it certainly seems that an experience like this can dramatically widen a young person's view of their future opportunities and interests.
Class of 2006 arrived on June 7, 2004
The class of 2006 arrived on campus as the third class to begin their studies as Masters Candidates. Orientation activities included an Orientation Fair that introduced them to banks, health insurance, and financial aid; orientation also included the E-Packrat and an overall introduction to the program. UNC-G's Team Quest Program directed our team building activities which were a highlight of the week.
AAPA's 32nd Annual Physician Assistant Conference – Las Vegas , NV
Traveling nearly all the way across the country, more than 30 students and several faculty members from the WFU Physician Assistant Program attended the 32 nd National Conference of the American Academy of Physician Assistants in Las Vegas , Nevada . The six day conference was, as usual for the AAPA, highly successful in drawing nationally recognized clinicians, researchers, and participants to share their advances in all areas of medicine. Topics ranged widely, from “Update on Acute Asthma” to “Psychosocial Effects of Bioterrorism” and beyond. Students and faculty alike gathered new and exciting resources to enhance our work here at the PA Program and in the communities in which we provide care. The Conference serves as a wonderful opportunity for not only the exchange of new ideas and approaches to health care, but as an opportunity for students from different programs to meet and develop their skills as their time as clinicians approaches. In 2005, the conference is set to be in Orlando , Florida , and those who attended this year are certainly looking forward to what our 33 rd National Conference has to offer.
Katherine Anderson Society Charity Golf Tournament
The tournament was held at Salem Glen Golf & Country Club in Clemmons , NC on May 14, 2004 to help raise money for the Katherine Anderson Society and The Therapeutic Day Program at Amos Cottage. KAS is hoping to use the money raised from this golf tournament to:
- Educate and orient all members of KAS to the concept of the AAPA.
- Instill in the PA the importance of keeping abreast of current medical developments
- Serve as a service organization for PA students and graduates.
- Promote academic achievement and clinical excellence in the program.
- Serve as the official liaison with the national and state levels of the AAPA.
- Serve as a liaison in establishing and continuing communication between other PA student societies, medical societies, and other health care extenders.
- Promote the concept of the physician extender as a member of the professional health care team in the medical community and the community-at-large.
- Serve as a clearinghouse for information derived from monitoring national and state legislation and/or policies, which affect the individual PA and/or student in the pursuit of his/her role on the health care team.
- To raise money for the Therapeutic Day Program at Amos Cottage which provides a supportive treatment environment for children ages 3 through 7 who experience emotional and or behavioral problems. These children may have difficulty in day care, school, or other community settings. Day treatment services include behavior management strategies which emphasize positive reinforcement, development of appropriate social skills, academic enrichment activities, and community outings to provide practice for reintegration to the child's school and home settings. The program is part of the Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics Department of WFU Health Sciences.
Class of 2004 Graduates
The Class of 2004 is the first class of graduate with their Masters of Medical Science from the Wake Forest University School of Medicine. Forty-seven graduates, 1 with distinction, from the Physician Assistant Program, class of 2004 were hooded on May 16 in Babcock Auditorium, they received their diplomas at the University Corporate Center following the commencement speech by Colin Powell and the conferring of degrees on the quad at Wake Forest University .
Class president, Erich Grant, presented the following awards to fellow students and faculty: Phase I Teaching Excellence Award: Jeffrey W. Hinshaw; Phase II Teaching Excellence Award: Jeffrey W. Hinshaw; Phase II Teaching Excellence Award: Central Carolina Surgery; Outstanding Class Member Award: John I. Shoaf; Honorary Katherine Anderson Society Award: Katy Hampton; Outstanding Contributions to the Class of 2004 Award: Julie Shoaf.
Three very special awards were presented to PA students. The Katherine Anderson Award, honoring Katherine Anderson, is given in recognition of exemplary performance in all aspects of the first year curriculum along with professional growth toward becoming a Physician Assistant. This award was proudly presented to Troy A. Kassab. The James Franklin Wilson Memorial Award is made to the graduate exhibiting remarkable ability to care for patients and exceptional dedication to the profession and honoring James Wilson. This year's honorable recipient was Erich J. Grant. The Kitty Bowman Excellence in Research award is presented to a student in the graduating class who represents “an outstanding commitment to community-based research.” It is presented annually at graduation. This year's recipient was John I. Shoaf. This award is named for the first registrar of the Physician Assistant Program who was also a founding member of a community agency, Aids Care Service and is selected by the Master Project Director and the PA Program Director.
Graduates were marshaled in by first year PA students with highest academic achievement. They were Christopher Groh, Erica Kelly, Richard Lotspeich, Sallie Styers, and Betsy Whicker.
Pictures from the events can be seen at: http://www.wfubmc.edu/biomed/pa_graduation2004/
Wake Forest PA Students' Work Featured in First Master's Project Symposium
By Sue Reich, PA-C, MPAS
Wake Forest University School of Medicine PA Program
The First Annual Master's Symposium of the Physician Assistant Program of Wake Forest University School of Medicine was held on Tuesday, March 2nd, 2004 . The day's activities opened with an address by Keynote Speaker, Dennis Blessing, Ph.D. PA-C; originally a graduate of the Duke PA program and recent recipient of the Master Teacher Award by the Association of Physician Assistant Programs. His down-to-earth advice for the students gave them an interesting perspective on the academic endeavors they had been pursuing.
This Symposium was a showcase for the two years of work by the Class of 2004 Master candidates. Topics ranged from “Effects of Literacy Promotion as Part of Well Child Care” to “Career Choices and Gender Differences in Physician Assistant Students.” Several projects focused on current community needs in areas such as transportation barriers for dialysis patients, the local school district's asthma screening tool, needs assessment for Latino diabetics and interventional tools for childhood cancer survivors. One student coordinated efforts with the dental school in Chapel Hill to track results of notification of patients with carotid atheromas on panoramic films. Another entrepreneurial student created computerized patient education materials and then administered follow-up self tests to patients to assess the increased level of understanding about their treatment.
The students presented in oral, PowerPoint formats or in poster sessions and entertained questions and comments from their student peers, faculty members, and invited guests which included their community project advisors. Many visitors commented on the highly professional presentations and most of the participants suggested allowing even more time next year to hear and see the students' work. The day was one of energy and excitement for and relief (for the students) of seeing the culmination of diligence and perseverance of the Class of 2004.
The symposium sessions were followed by an awards ceremony, hosted by the students. Gary Miller, PhD, from the Department of Health and Exercise Science at Wake Forest University , received the Faculty Advisor Award. The Community Advisor Award was given to E. Ted Chandler, MD, the Director of the Community Care Center in Winston-Salem . All of the advisors were thanked and their efforts gratefully acknowledged by the class.
This is the first class to complete their Master's degree-required research since the Wake Forest University School of Medicine Physician Assistant program began its new curriculum in the summer of 2002. We were very excited about this event and proud of all of the work completed by our Master candidates in the Class of 2004.
Class of 2003 Graduates Forty-Five
Forty-five graduates, 13 with distinction, from the Physician Assistant Program, class of 2003 received their diplomas on August 9 at Wait Chapel on the Wake Forest University campus. Class president, Brian Doss, presented the following awards to fellow students and faculty: Phase I Teaching Excellence Award: Jeffrey W. Hinshaw; Phase II Teaching Excellence Award: Charles W. Harris, Jr., M.D.; Phase II Teaching Excellence Award: David J. Bohle, M.D.; Outstanding Class Member Award: Byron Carter; Honorary Katherine Anderson Society Award: James Jeffries; Outstanding Contributions to the Class of 2002 Award: Richard Lowder. Read full text
STATS Program
In March of 2003, 13 first year PA students took advantage of the opportunity to participate in the STATS program in conjunction with the medical school students. STATS, Students Teaching Aids To Students, is sponsored by the American Medical Association and the American Medical Student Association.
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MedWAR
On Saturday, April 26, 2003, I, Jacqueline Rowland, went with two teams from Wake Forest University Medical School to the annual MedWAR (Medical Wilderness Adventure Race) challenge on the Army Base - Fort Gordon in Augusta, GA. This was the 3rd annual race and included 16 teams of four persons per team, including physicians, residents, first responders, EMTs, medical students and physician assistant students (I was the only Physician Assistant student there!). Two teams were from as far away as Toronto, Canada.
Southeast MedWAR was designed and organized by the Medical College of Georgia Medical Students
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Live from Victoria Hall………
Seventeen distinguished clinical faculty participated in the women's health care symposium teleconference sponsored by Wake Forest University School of Medicine and Wyeth-Ayerst Pharmaceuticals on March 7 and 8, 2002. The conference originated from the studio auditorium in Victoria Hall in Winston-Salem NC. 175 conference downlink sites were located throughout the United States, including Los Angeles CA, Albuquerque NM, Tuscaloosa AL, Beckley WV, Nashville TN, New York City NY, St. Louis MO, and Miami FL. 13 hours category I credits were available through the AMA Physician's Recognition Award. NP CEU and AAPA accreditation were also available. The conference attracted over1000 participants.
Read full text/view photos
PA Students volunteer in Peripheral Vascular Disease Screening- Legs for Life
A third of the Class of 2003 will be participating as volunteers, invited by Dr. Dan Golwyn, in the annual Legs for Life PVD screening on Saturday, September 15, 2001. Last year over 63,000 patients were screened at 699 sites nationally. 24% of patients were found to be at high risk or moderate risk for PVD. Not only with students make a contribution in this significant screening, but they will have the opportunity to practice some of the skills they are learning in Phase I of the PA Program. It seems to be a win-win opportunity for the students and the community
Orientation for the Class of 2003 Begins - August 13, 2001
The class of 2003 arrived on campus as the first class to begin their studies in Victoria Hall at 111 North Chestnut Street in downtown Winston-Salem. Orientation activities included a van tour of the Reynolda and Bowman Gray Campuses as well as a walking tour through the Medical Center. Team builiding activities were the highlight of the week as groups were challenged to navigate a variety of obstacles to attain successful function as a group.
PA Program graduates Class of 2001 - August 11, 2001
The class of 2001 on graduated on Saturday August 11, in Wait Chapel on the Reynolda Campus of Wake Forest University. A reception for family and friends followed at the Benton Convention Center in downtown Winston-Salem.
National Award- Outstanding Physician Assistant of the Year
Wayne W. VonSeggen, PA-C, PA Class of 1977, received this prestigious award at the American Academy of Physician Assistants 29th Annual Conference in Anaheim, California on May 30, 2001.
AAPA's 29th Annual Physician Assistant Conference - Anaheim, CA
Members of the PA class of 2001 and 2002 will be attending the National PA conference in Anaheim, California from May 26-31, 2001. Canio Marcantonio, Lynn Shelton and Eric Shoup will participate in the 11th Annual SAAAPA National Medical Challenge Bowl. Glen Combs, the WFUSM PA Program Director is presiding at this meeting as President of the American Academy of Physician Assistants and will begin his term as chair of the board/immediate past president on June 10, 2001.
WFUSM PA Program moves to Downtown Winston-Salem, NC
The ribbon cutting at Victoria Hall, the new home of the PA program, was held May 18, 2001 at 111 North Chestnut Street.
Dean Thompson's remarks
Photos from the ribbon cutting
Master of Medical Science/ Physician Assistant Studies receives approval
The PA program received official notice on May 7, 2001 that Dr. Richard Dean approved the proposal describing the MMS/PAS. Students now applying to the PA Program will be admitted to the Class of 2004 and will begin their master curriculum starting May 2002.
AAPA's 28th Annual Physician Assistant Conference - Chicago, IL
Members of the PA class of 2000 and 2001 will be attending the National PA conference in Chicago on May 26-June 1. The class will have representatives participating in the 10th Annual SAAAPA National Medical Challenge Bowl. Glen Combs will begin his term as President of the American Academy of Physician Assistants.
AAPA's 27th Annual Physician Assistant Conference - Atlanta, Georgia
Members of the PA class of 1999 and 2000 will be attending the National PA conference in Atlanta on May 29-June 3. The class will have representatives participating in the 9th Annual SAAAPA National Medical Challenge Bowl.
Mobile Computing and the PA Program
The PA Program is beginning the second phase of the mobile computing project. WFU and IBM are partners in the exciting "roll-out" of ThinkPad computers. This year, 1998 entering PA students received a 380XD IBM ThinkPad loaded with a variety of software to accommodate their access to the PA curriculum and resource materials.
National Physician Assistant Day - October 6
Dr. Eugene Stead celebrated his 90th birthday this year in Bullocks, NC. October 6th is the date of the first graduating class of Physician Assistants and is the birthday of the Founder of the PA profession.
PA Class of 2000 Begins Orientation
The PA class of 2000 began orientation on August 24. 48 students enrolled. Orientation activities included a variety of experiences: Yearbook and ID photographs, OSHA training, health screening, team-building, medical terminology testing, financial counseling, and computer training classes.
PA Class of 1998 Graduation - Saturday, August 15
48 Students graduated from the Wake Forest University School of Medicine Physician Assistant Program in Babcock Auditorium on the Bowman Gray Campus.