Duke Physician Assistant Program News & Blogs

I’m going to let you in on a secret: being a PA student at Duke probably isn’t what you’re thinking it is.

When you picture Blue Devils, does your brain immediately conjure an image of a student nose-deep in textbooks, pushing up their reading glasses? How about a stadium overflowing with dark blue, cheering on our infamous basketball team?

While these are all undoubtedly pieces of the DPAP (Duke PA Program) experience, they can’t lead you all the way to an accurate picture.

You’ve finished (or are finishing) your prerequisites. You have the required number of patient care hours. You have written your own mission statement and figured out where you want to apply.

And the moment you have waited for is here!

Navigating Challenges and Embracing Growth: Reflections on Completing PA School

As I approach the final leg of my PA school journey, with just three rotations remaining, I find myself reflecting deeply on the challenges and triumphs that have defined this transformative period of my life. Imposter syndrome has been a constant companion of mine.

It’s that time of year again; the CASPA application opens at the end of this month!

Last week was the annual North Carolina Health Professions Fair Week. We visited seven schools across the state, from Wilmington to Boone, and many places in between. One thing we heard from quite a few students was how helpful our school comparison spreadsheet is in their planning.

Every PA program has slightly different requirements, as well as different costs, locations, and amenities. It’s hard to keep up!

"What is grief?"

During a Grand Rounds lecture called Grief 101, Dr. G posed this question to a silent room. Not a single word popped into my mind to describe this feeling, though I had known it for the past two years.

Durham is a city with a lot to offer. Whether you are a prospective applicant checking out the area for the first time or an incoming student in town to look for housing, there is plenty to do and see (and eat!) while you’re here.

Second-year PA student Adriana DaCosta will have two pieces of art on display at the Brown Gallery Student Art Exhibition, hosted by Duke University Union's VisArts, in the Bryan Center from March 4th through April 8th. There will be an opening reception on Thursday, March 7, from 6:30-8:30 pm.

This month, we are stepping away from our usual student blog posts to bring you a two-part series: First-year students Polly Hurlburt and Kris Miller sat down to discuss Kris's groundbreaking role as the first Black president of the Duke PA Program's student society, the Stead Society.

 

Part 1: The Path to Leadership

 

The average age of first-year physician assistant (PA) students is 25-28 years old.  

Does that mean that as an applicant in your 30s or older, you have somehow “aged out” of your path to being a PA? 

Of course not!