Building on Achievements in the Duke PA Program
Our students wrapped up 2025 with a bang, completing numerous exams, fundraisers, volunteer hours, and more. With the start of another year, our community has continued to lead in their work and service. As this new month begins, we want to take a moment to highlight some of the accomplishments of our current students and alumni.
Class of 2026
Sadie Walton
Sadie Walton has been selected as one of the Student Directors at Large for NCAPA. In her role, she represents PA students across the state as a voting member of the Board of Directors. She serves alongside another PA student from the Wake Forest University PA Program. This role focuses on ensuring that student voices are included at the state level and helping students stay connected to NCAPA and the PA profession.
As part of the position, Walton will attend board meetings, bring student perspectives to leadership, and help share information about NCAPA events, advocacy efforts, and other opportunities with fellow students. She will also continue to serve on the Student Affairs Committee and work alongside student representatives from NC PA programs to foster engagement across the state. Now that Walton has been elected, she will be the 3rd generation Duke student in a row to be a Student Director at Large.
Walton reflects on her new transition, saying, “It is a privilege to represent PA students across the state and ensure their perspectives are part of the conversation.”
Lydia Pak
Second-year student Lydia Pak was recognized for her exceptional performance during her OBGYN rotation and was also awarded the Service Champion Award. Notably, she is the first PA student to receive this recognition at the site.
Lydia’s preceptor shared several remarks on her outstanding work:
“Lydia was wonderful to work with. She was able to pick out pertinent positives and negatives in her history taking, provide clear and concise presentations, and develop well-thought-out management plans. Feedback from the providers noted that she showed continued growth throughout the rotation.”
In nominating Lydia, a patient also noted, “Lydia has such great bedside manner and is so observant and attentive! She is going to make a great OBGYN physician assistant.’”
We love to see our students making an impact not only in the classroom, but also by bringing to life all they have learned here at the Duke PA Program. Associate Program Director Jacquetta Melvin, MPH, PA-C, congratulates Pak, highlighting her “outstanding achievement and for representing both the program and the profession with such professionalism and excellence.”
Marissa Mattys
Marissa Mattys has been selected for a national leadership position as a Student Liaisons in the Association of Physician Associates in Obstetrics and Gynecology (APAOG)
As part of her role, she will contribute to student outreach, social media, and have the opportunity to publish in the Artemis (APAOG journal). As a Student Liaison, they will serve as an advocate for APAOG’s mission of excellence in OBGYN and expansion of PAs working in the field. They also will have the opportunity to attend annual conferences, educational webinars, as well as more networking opportunities with the students in her program.
Class of 2027
Kaley-Ann Ford
Kaley-Ann Ford was also selected to serve as a Student Liaison with APAOG. Like Marissa, in this position, she will also contribute to student outreach initiatives, advocate for classmates and the PA program and submit an article to Artemis.
In recognition of their efforts, Mattys and Ford's leaders shared: “Your passion for obstetrics and gynecology advancement and dedication to the physician assistant profession have set you apart as leaders, and we are excited to have you represent APAOG. As Student Liaisons, you will serve as an advocate for APAOG’s mission of excellence in OBGYN and expansion of PAs working in the field”
Alumnus
Desmond Pobdinga
Desmond Pobdinga, PA-C, was a hospital Corpsman prior to being selected for the U.S. Navy Health Services Collegiate Program to attend PA school. While in the program, he and his wife welcomed their second child. We thank him for his service and dedication, as we are reminded that military service was the foundation of the PA profession. We also recognize his impressive balance of school, family life, and military commitments.
Pobdinga graduated in August 2025 and was commissioned as a Lieutenant Junior Grade (LTJG) in October 2025. After commissioning, he reported to Officer Development School in Newport, Rhode Island, in November 2025. Upon graduating five weeks later in December 2025, he was assigned to the Department of Branch Clinics/Medical Homeport at Sewell’s Point Branch Health Clinic in Norfolk, Virginia. Desmond credits his wife for her support during that season of their life. He shares, “I am a PA-C today thanks to my wife Nora, who was working a full-time job and taking care of two kids, the DPAP staff who constantly checked on me to ensure I was getting all the help I needed to succeed while providing counseling and study tips, and my classmates who joined me in doing push-ups, planks, and going on runs during breaks so I could keep up with my military physical fitness requirements.”
Pobdinga is from Bali-Nyonga, where he notes the provider-to-patient ratio is 1:50000, which is significantly lower than the recommended ratio of 1:10000. He also mentions that many young people with science degrees struggle to find employment because of the limited number of medical school opportunities.
He explains, “Learning from Dr. Eugene Stead, I think it is only reasonable to look for ways to harness the skills of these youths to address the healthcare needs of the country and, why not, other African countries. This is where the desire to start a PA program in Cameroon stems from.”
Looking ahead, he hopes to collaborate with physicians and educators in Cameroon while also finding like-minded individuals who will help achieve this goal.
It is evident that our students hold dear the desire and responsibility to help others through their work, service, and values. We strive to continue equipping our learners to deliver equitable, patient-centered care.