BW physician assistant grads transform passion into rewarding profession
In honor of National PA Week, Oct. 6-12, Baldwin Wallace commends the many accomplishments and contributions of the students, alumni, faculty and staff involved in its Physician Assistant Program.
Here are a few of the many BW individuals who each day bring passion and professionalism to their roles in helping address a growing healthcare need. Since the program's inception in 2013, BW has graduated 126 PAs, who serve in hospitals throughout Northeast Ohio, such as the Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals, MetroHealth and Southwest General Health Center, as well as nationally.
Erin Jadallah '15
A physician assistant with the plastic and reconstructive surgery department at The James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute in Columbus, Ohio, Jadallah was part of the inaugural class of BW's PA program.
"Receiving an education from Baldwin Wallace has allowed me to find a career that I love. I value my continued relationships with the faculty today in the ever-changing field of medicine and enjoy mentoring students from the program as well. I'm forever grateful to BW for assembling its impressive group of PA educators."
Andie Hobson '18
Noting
that
she
is
the
first
PA
that
her
physician
group
has
hired,
Hobson
works
as
a
hospitalist
with
Summa
Health
in
Akron,
Ohio,
where
she
participates
in
the
care
of
patients
with
a
variety
of
different
medical
conditions
-
from
heart
failure
and
strokes
to
infections
and
peri-operative
care.
"I currently serve as a preceptor for students in BW's PA program. It takes a village to support someone who pursues a career in medicine. My goal is to provide students with a welcoming, while also challenging, experience in internal medicine while encouraging them towards independence and taking more ownership in developing treatment plans for our patients."
Dan O'Brien '17
O'Brien
believes
the
values
of
BW
match
those
of
the
PA
profession
-
respect,
integrity
and
compassion
to
give
back
to
society
as
an
individual
and
as
a
professional.
Today,
he
is
fulfilling
those
attributes
as
an
emergency
medicine
PA
with
Cleveland
Clinic
Akron
General.
"I knew pretty early on that I wanted to pursue a career in medicine. My personal health experiences, as well as my mom working in the medical field, exposed me to different aspects of medicine at a young age. The flexibility of working in different settings and the role of being an integral part of a medical team were desirable to me both personally and professionally. But the driving force behind my career choice was the opportunity to provide compassionate care to those in need."
Samantha Emerson '18
Praising
BW's
PA
program
comes
easily
to
Emerson.
From
small
class
sizes
to
knowledgeable
faculty
and
outstanding
education
experiences,
she
credits
BW
for
successfully
preparing
her
for
her
role
as
a
physician
assistant
with
Summa
Health
in
Akron,
Ohio.
"I've been in my position for about 14 months now and love my job. Being a PA opens up many opportunities for learning and leadership. It's impossible to know everything, so I still face challenges at times. Although I am in a specialty practice (general surgery), I pick up medical knowledge from physicians, nurses, assistants, social workers and others."
BW PA Program Has Perfect Pass Rate Five Years Straight
This year, BW's PA Program has posted a perfect first-time pass rate on the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE) for the fifth year in a row - making BW the only PA program in the state of Ohio (and one of only a select few in the nation) to earn that achievement.
Fully 100% of BW Master of Medical Science graduates, in each of the first five years of the PA program's existence, have now passed the rigorous PANCE exam on the first try.
Accreditation through 2026
In addition to the stellar PANCE pass rates, the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant Inc. (ARC-PA) has granted Accreditation-Continued status to the BW PA program through June 2026.
To learn more about BW's 24-month Physician Assistant Program, call (440) 826-8012 or (877) 292-7759, email paprogram@bw.edu or schedule a visit.