Stanford’s new 30-month program emphasizes training for physician assistants alongside medical students for coursework and clinical care.
August 30, 2017 - By Tracie White
Sara Wright (center) and Erin Lencioni (right) attend a ceremony Aug. 25 welcoming new students in the physician assistant studies program.
Steve Fisch
A welcome ceremony for the School of Medicine’s inaugural class of students in the Master of Science in physician assistant studies was held Aug. 25 on the lawn next to the Medical School Office Building.
Robert Harrington, MD, professor and chair of medicine, and Arturo Molina, MD, Stanford Medicine Alumni Association board member, were among those who welcomed the new class of 27 students. Molina awarded the students their first stethoscopes.
“You are, and forever will be, the first PA master’s degree class at Stanford,” Harrington said. “You will set the standard for the many classes to follow. We expect you to be great clinicians, teachers, researchers and administrators. You will be leaders in the profession. Don't let that frighten you. Embrace it.”
Denise Ros (left) and Marian Padilla are inthe inaugural class of 27 students in the Master of Science in physician assistant studies program.
Steve Fisch
The 30-month program will emphasize training alongside medical students in coursework and clinical care. The students are required to choose an area of scholarly concentration within one of four areas: community health, health services and policy research, clinical research or medical education. The quickly growing field has jumped from 20,000 licensed physician assistants in 1990 to about 115,500 today, according to the American Academy of Physician Assistants.
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Tracie WhiteTracie White is a science writer in the Office of Communications. Email her at tracie.white@stanford.edu.
About Stanford Medicine
Stanford Medicine is an integrated academic health system comprising the Stanford School of Medicine and adult and pediatric health care delivery systems. Together, they harness the full potential of biomedicine through collaborative research, education and clinical care for patients. For more information, please visit med.stanford.edu.
