Pulse

Celebrating PA Week 2024

By

EVMS School of Health Professions Celebrates #PAweek Oct. 6-12

From Oct. 6 to Oct. 12, Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences EVMS School of Health Professions at Old Dominion University is joining with healthcare and medical education groups around the country to celebrate PA Week.

The annual event is a time to recognize all that PAs have accomplished, highlight the care they provide and elevate the profession. 

“The theme of the event is ‘PAs go beyond,’ and that really speaks to the profession itself and the service mindset our students bring with them into their careers,” said Kimberly Dempsey, Ed.D., M.P.A., PA-C (M.P.A. ’03), Associate Professor in the EVMS School of Health Professions and Director of the Physician Assistant (M.P.A.) program. “PAs are dedicated to expanding access to care and transforming health and wellness through patient-centered, team-based medical practice.”

The Physician Assistant program has a long track record of preparing students for excellence in the field and is among the top 10% in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report’s most recent edition of its “Best Graduate Schools” rankings. 

The rigorous 28-month, full-time curriculum ensures graduates are well equipped to provide care and work collaboratively in a variety of healthcare settings, including hospitals, urgent care centers, outpatient offices and clinics.

“PAs practice medicine in all medical and surgical specialties, including family medicine, internal medicine, emergency medicine, pediatrics and gerontology — to name a few — and they often serve as a patient’s trusted primary provider,” Dr. Dempsey added.

The program is unique in that it is affiliated with a medical school, allowing PA and MD students to interact and understand each other’s roles as integral members of a healthcare team. It also features hands-on, point-of-care ultrasound training early in the program, better preparing students to utilize bedside ultrasound in their clinical rotations.

For those seeking advanced credentials, the EVMS School of Health Professions also offers a fully online Doctor of Medical Science (D.M.Sc.) degree. The one-year program is designed for certified physician assistants who want to attain the culminating degree in their profession. Working PAs can achieve their specific professional goals by focusing on a Clinical Leadership and Administration or Educational Leadership and Administration track. 

“The D.M.Sc. degree offers significant benefits for PAs by enhancing their leadership capabilities, administrative skills and research expertise,” said Lauren Paluch, D.M.Sc., M.P.A., PA-C, Assistant Professor in the EVMS School of Health Professions and Director of the Medical Science (D.M.Sc.) program. “Through advanced coursework in healthcare leadership, policy and management, PAs are better equipped to take on administrative and leadership roles. This expanded skill set can lead to opportunities in academic teaching, program leadership and healthcare management, allowing PAs to contribute to the development and training of future clinicians and to shape healthcare policies.”

Two Graduate Certificate programs are also available in Clinical Leadership and Administration and Educational Leadership and Administration. The nine credits earned in these one-year programs can be applied to fulfill the doctoral courses if a student chooses to continue the degree.

Select PA Week Events 2024
This year’s PA Week celebrations are scheduled one week earlier, Sept. 29 to Oct. 5, due to class and conference scheduling conflicts within the program. Listed below are some of the events that are open to the entire campus community.

Bra-ha-ha Collection Drive — Now through Friday, Oct. 4
In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the PA program is collecting new and used bras to donate to a local women’s organization. Those who donate will be entered to win a raffle prize that will be drawn on Friday, Oct. 4 during the PA Week Field Day. Donations of 1-5 bras will receive one raffle ticket, and donations of 5 or more bras will receive two raffle tickets. Please place donations in the collection box outside Lester Hall, Room 355, by Friday, Oct. 4.

Friday, Oct. 4 
A PA Week Field Day will be held for PA students, and staff, featuring a potluck-style meal with outdoor games, Bra-ha-ha collection, treats, a raffle drawing and the return of Pie the Professor! 

Saturday, Oct. 5
Members of the PA program will participate in the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Coastal Virginia “I AM NAMI WALKS” from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. The meeting place will be 14th St. and Atlantic Avenue on the boardwalk at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. For questions or more information, please contact Phoebe Large, M.P.A. Class of 2026, at largepm@odu.edu. 


Find out more about the Physician Assistant (M.P.A.) and Medical Science (D.M.Sc.) programs.