The PA Path Podcast

We speak with PA Jared Spackman about the University of Utah PA Program and their rich history of leadership in our profession. We also talk about his path to becoming a PA and a leader in both the Utah PA Academy and the Utah PA Licensing Board.

We speak with Dr. Kim Cavanagh who is a nationally recognized leader on assessment. Dr. Cavanagh also leads the Gannon University PA Department. We talk about her path to PA and about her role in building the PAEA suite of assessment products that has positively impacted programs and students in their journey to becoming board certified PAs.

We speak with Dr. Dipu Patel about her role as Vice-Chair for Innovation at the University of Pittsburgh's Department of PA Studies. We also talk about her path to becoming a PA and about her thoughts on digital health and the impact of artificial intelligence on health care.

We speak with PAEA Past-President Kara Caruthers about her path to becoming a PA and about her developing program at the Meharry College of Medicine's Department of PA Sciences. PA Caruthers also shares her personal perspective about the PA profession's recent doctoral summit held this month in Charlotte, NC.

We speak with Dr. McHugo, Chair of the Department of PA Studies at the University of North Dakota about her path to becoming a PA from rural South Dakota. We also learn about their innovative approach to building the primary care workforce for their state and her contributions to leading the PA profession.

We speak with the Director of the Keck Street Medicine program at the University of Southern California about their incredible program caring for those experiencing chronic homelessness in the streets of Los Angeles. We talk about their clinical care, but also the importance of research, service, and teaching others how to build their own street medicine teams and learn how PAs have made a difference in this work internationally.

Steph and I review the themes that arose from our conversations this past season and we look ahead to the future of the podcast with Season 4. 

We speak with Dr. Matt Dane Baker, Interim Provost and long-standing PA leader with Thomas Jefferson University. Dr. Baker talks with us about his path to becoming a PA, his military career, and his contributions to leadership as both a national PA leader and leader in higher education. Dr. Baker shares some great insights into success in life as well as his take on the future of the PA profession.

We speak with Dr. Bridget Calhoun, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Research at Duquesne University. Dr. Calhoun shares her path to becoming a transplant PA, an HIV researcher, and an academic and national leader.

We speak with Dr. Randy Danielson from the Arizona School of Health Sciences at A.T. Still University in Mesa, AZ about his path to becoming a PA, a PA educator and leader, and his role in developing the post-graduate doctoral degrees for PAs.

We speak with PA Michel Statler from the UT Southwestern PA Program about her path to becoming a surgical PA, her program, and about her perspective on the many aspects of the profession from her role as past-president for PAEA. We also learn from a master teacher about how she prepares for delivering lectures.

We speak with Dr. Jed Grant about the University of the Pacific PA Program and about his service as an Army PA. We also talk about his service to the profession as the former Chair of the State of California Physician Assistant Board and the work they did to expand the profession in California.

This week we celebrate our 50th episode by speaking with Dr. Sharon Luke, Executive Director of the Accreditation Review Commission on Physician Assistant Education, Inc. Dr. Luke shares her path to becoming a PA, a PA educator, a national leader, and the director of the only accrediting body to oversee PA educational programs.

We speak with the Director and Department Chair for the Northeastern University PA Studies about her path to becoming a surgical PA and her program. PA Carey Barry talks about their dual degree options and the newly developed Doctor of Medical Science degree at their institution.

We speak with PA Cindy Lord about the Case Western Reserve University PA Program. Cindy provides insights into her program, but also some great advice for pre-PA students on how to vet programs for their CASPA applications. We also talk about the importance of advocacy and learn about Cindy's own path to becoming a PA.

We speak with Dr. Jeremy Welsh about the University of Lynchburg PA program and their post graduate doctoral program. Dr. Welsh shares his unique path to becoming a PA and his path to higher education leadership.

We speak with Ms. Laura Gerstner, Associate Program Director with Campbell University in Buies Creek, North Carolina about her path to becoming a PA, her program, and her state and national leadership.

This week we speak with Dr. Dana Sayre-Stanhope, Professor and Department Chair for the Point Loma Nazarene University Department of PA Studies. Dr. Sayre-Stanhope shares her vision for the San Diego program and she describes her own path to the PA profession. She also highlights many of the other programs she developed in her illustrious career as well as her leadership contributions in the various PA institutions.