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Enhancing your application to PA programs extends beyond just showcasing your academic and technical proficiency. While a strong GPA and substantial healthcare experience are undeniably valuable, admissions committees are increasingly recognizing the importance of soft skills.  You can frequently highlight them in your application through the essays or by demonstrating them with your choices of patient care work, volunteering, or extracurriculars. 

Students had just returned from a week-long break and the long holiday weekend, and they were seriously busy studying for an exam the next day.  Nevertheless, the arrival of Locopops and a friendly dog (courtesy of Pet Partners, whose organizer and champion Judi came through with her lovely dog) were met with enthusiastic and gracious students, faculty (and another lovely dog and adorable children!) and staff at the PA Program Building. 

It’s a tradition that whenever a breakthrough is made in treating children with genetic disorders, Laura Case, PhD, PT, DPT, MS, PCS, C/NDT, gathers the Duke Doctor of Physical Therapy students and they celebrate with cake. Recently, they celebrated three exciting breakthroughs in the past months:

Congratulations Drs. Colin-Emeric, Que and Whitson!

I recently had the opportunity to travel to Honduras with an interprofessional team of healthcare providers to work with patients in underserved areas.

When Katherine Bullock, Helen Gaynes, and Emily McEnerey from the class of 2023 founded the student-led Point-of-Care Ultrasound Society (POCUS) in 2022, their mission was to provide teaching skills for second-year Duke PA Program students and early exposure to POCUS skills to the first-year students.

A new cohort of distinguished professors in the Duke University School of Medicine was honored recently. These distinguished professors represent exceptional achievement and reflect the school’s commitment to attracting and retaining diverse faculty whose wide range of backgrounds and experiences enrich the academic environment.

May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and this year's theme is “Advancing Leaders Through Innovation.” To honor this, we're recognizing some of our first- and second-year students who identify as part of the AANHPI community and are leaders in their communities. Leadership styles can be incredibly diverse across the board, as no two individuals are exactly alike. These students embody this individuality and inspire our Duke Doctorate of Physical Therapy community.

A pilot group coaching program for division chiefs in the department of pediatrics led to increased leadership knowledge and self-efficacy across multiple domains.

Last year, Dane Whicker, PhD, offered tips for how you can make a difference for LGBTQI+ people at Duke. As we look to celebrate Pride Month this year, take moment to read a few of Whicker’s recommendations for how you can help create a supportive environment for LGBTQI+ colleagues, loved ones, and patients. Read the entire list of tips here.