Duke Physician Assistant Program News

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!  

The Duke Physician Assistant (PA) Program held its traditional white coat ceremony for the Class of 2025 on January 5^th, 2024. 

We talk a lot about considering each program’s mission statement, philosophies, and values when choosing where you want to submit applications. However, we have only touched on writing your personal mission statement to guide you as you apply to Physician Assistant (PA) programs.

The new year, when you are already thinking about your goals, is a great time to put that idea into practice.

Kendra Ireigbe, PA-C (’23), didn’t grow up dreaming of military service, yet the team-based atmosphere of the military had always appealed to her.

By the time she began applying to physician assistant (PA) programs, she knew she wanted to join the military and that the PA profession started with Navy Corpsman. She also knew trying to join the military as a PA without any other military experience can be difficult.