Class of 2018 Physician Assistant Students Don White Coats for First Time
| June 27, 2016 | Thirty-eight students in the physician assistant program in the UAMS College of Health Professions donned their white coats for the first time on May 20 and recited an oath to care for their patients.
The students are at the beginning of a 28-month master’s degree program that will prepare them to provide high-quality health care to patients with supervision of a physician.
“The need for health care providers continues to increase dramatically in Arkansas and the rest of the nation. We need more physicians, physician assistants and APRNS to help meet the demand for health care in our state,” said Douglas Murphy, Ph.D., dean of the College of Health Professions. “Students in this audience are part of the solution for providing greater access to health care for more people and improving service quality throughout the system.”
Referring to core concepts of patient- and family-centered care, Murphy urged the students not to see the white coat as a symbol of authority but rather as a pledge to patients and their families to treat them with dignity and respect and include them as partners in their health care.
Richard Turnage, M.D., executive associate dean for clinical affairs, told students “this is a great time to be a PA, and I congratulate you on choosing that profession.”
“The way we think about and practice medicine is changing drastically,” he said. “I believe the impact of these changes on our patients will far outweigh the scientific and technical advances that we have seen. Physician assistants will play a key, central role in the patient- and family-centered models of care.”
Kyndle Faulkner, president of the Class of 2016, told students that she took her first exam in the program just hours before the white coat ceremony. She was lined up to receive her coat, and they skipped her.
“I was certain this was how you were kicked out of the program,” she said to audience laughter. “Thank goodness, it was an honest mistake.”
She urged her fellow physician assistant students to remain humble while wearing the white coat.
“You will be privy to your patients’ most private and vulnerable moments,” she said. “You will witness devastating loss and incredible joy. You will be present for the death of a beloved grandparent and you will be the first face a newborn baby sees as they enter this world. All because you are wearing this white coat.”
Melissa Clark, Pharm. D., M.P.H., the director of didactic education, and Edward Williams, M.P.A.S., M.Ed., P.A.C., the director of clinical education, coated the students. Then they were led by Nadja Button, M.H.S., P.A.C. in saying the Physician Assistant Professional Oath.
[su_slider source=”media: 19709,19708″ limit=”28″ height=”380″]The students in the physician assistant Class of 2018 are:
Katlyn Anderson – Hot Springs
Hailey Arens – Wynne
Hannah Banning – Clarksville
Kaylee Barnett – Mansfield, Texas
Brooke Carr – New Boston, Texas
Tyler Childs – Hot Springs
Cameron Chin – Arlington, Texas
Megan Cowling – Magnolia
Deverick Delph – Menifee
Rohan Desai – Fort Smith
Courtnery Dunagan – Coffeeville, Alabama
Seth Eiland – Camden
Michael Elliott – Texarkana
Faith Ellis – Sugarland, Texas
Leslee Everett – Hoxie
Allison Fritzsche – Alpharetta, Georgia
Sylvie Gimple – Geneva, Switzerland
Heather Golinko – Rocky River, Ohio
Christina Haigwood – Batesville
Taylor Haines – Pensacola, Florida
Hillary Hanvey – Maumelle
John Head – Little Rock
Allison Henry – Little Rock
Laura Hicks – Shreveport, Louisiana
Jeffrey Hillhouse – Coweta, Oklahoma
Kara Iribarren – Fayetteville
Allison Joye – Leawood, Kansas
Molly Koch – Searcy
Kathryn McMahan – Princeton, Texas
Summer Mojica – Bryant
Tien Nguyen – Arlington, Texas
Lauren Rainwater – Little Rock
Aubrey Roth – Tulsa, Oklahoma
Rebecca Schultz – Hot Springs
Ada Sochanska – Northfield, Illinois
Elizabeth Wennerstrom – Little Rock
Erica Williams – Bryant
Carson York – Salem