Duke Physician Assistant Program News & Blogs

First-year student Skyler Gubbels has been elected to serve on the Student Academy Board of Directors for the 2025 cycle. Gubbels will represent the Southeast region as the Southeast Regional Director.

The AAPA website describes the Regional Director position as follows:

Beta Tested: DPAP Approved

How Peer Partnership and Purpose-Built Tech Modernized Volunteer Engagement

As the Stead Society student secretary for the Class of 2026, one of my core responsibilities is to track and manage individual and class-wide volunteer hours.

Here at the Duke PA program, we take pride in our strong history and deep roots. We encourage our students to feed into their personal development, collaborate, and connect to the community through service. There are plenty of ways for students to get involved while in the program, whether through volunteering, joining student organizations, or being active in our primary PA student organization, the Stead Society. 

Earlier this month, students from the Duke PA Point-of-Care Ultrasound Society (POCUS) held their second annual NC Scan at the Duke Tent Semans Center for Health Education. DPAP faculty member and Professor Janelle Bludorn, MS, PA-C, considered this year’s event “wildly successful,” noting that more than 7 North Carolina universities participated and that well over 100 people attended. 

Webb won the 2025 Duke University School of Medicine Staff Award for Valued Service for his behind-the-scenes innovation that has revolutionized operations within the Duke Physician Assistant Program.

From Research to PA School: A Non-Traditional Applicant

It was not until 2019 that I met a Physician Assistant (PA) for the first time. I just moved back home to California to work at UCLA. Up until that point, I always envisioned myself pursuing a career in healthcare as a physician or a nurse. Over time, I developed a deep passion for clinical research.

CASPA has officially opened. Perhaps you’ve submitted your application early. Now, after the rush of preparation, all that’s left is to wait. Application review times may vary and can sometimes feel like an eternity. While this can be nerve-racking, there are some helpful ways to stay busy and prepare for your next potential steps!

The Museum of Durham History will present a panel discussion honoring the legacy of Joyce Clayton Thorpe Nichols (1940-2012), the first female Physician Assistant (PA) in the United States and a tireless advocate for fair housing, healthcare, and social justice.

The most recent recipient of the Joyce Nichols Memorial Community Grant (JNMCG) was the Duke University PA program, requested by PA student, Adriana Da Costa. It was upon reading an article from the New England Journal of Medicine, which highlighted the disparities of minority groups receiving bystander CPR, that motivated Da Costa to take action.

From the Durham VA daily newsletter:

First-year students from the Duke Physician Assistant Program (DPAP) visited with Veterans in the CICU on Veterans Day.

The Veterans were very appreciative of their visit and enjoyed the goodies and the time they spent with them. The CICU staff thanks the Duke Physician Assistant Program for their time and generosity.