Duke Physician Assistant Program News & Blogs

Second Year Student Group Blog: Wilderness Medicine

Who we are

Checking that we rigged Lila in the stokes basket safely!
Checking that we rigged Lila in the stokes basket safely!

The Duke Physician Assistant (PA) Wilderness Medicine Student Interest Group (SIG) was founded in 2022 with hopes to foster a commun

Let's Dig Into the Supplemental Application

You have successfully conquered the hurdle that is CASPA; now what? Most schools have a supplemental or secondary application that asks for additional information. Every school wants to get to know the “real you,” and supplementals go a long way towards filling in the blanks that standardized applications cannot.

Second Year Student Blog: Liz Shipman

Called Up to the Big Leagues

My journey to the American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) House of Delegates started last year, when I was elected to our PA program student government. I served as one of Duke’s representatives for the AAPA Student Academy with my classmate Chris Marshall. The Assembly of Representatives (AOR) mimics AAPA’s House of Delegates (HOD) and introduces student leaders to our profession’s governing structure.

PA Program Blog: What are Soft Skills and Why Should You Have Them?

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. 

Second Year Student Blog: Jane Gray

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.