Department of Physician Assistant Studies to present white coats to Physician Assistant Class of 2027
GRAND FORKS, N.D. - Thirty-three University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences (SMHS) physician assistant (PA) students are set to begin the clinical portion of their studies this month in an effort to earn their Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) degree.
To this end, UND’s Physician Assistant Class of 2027 will receive its white coats on Friday, Jan. 30, at the university’s Chester Fritz Performing Arts Center.
“The presentation of the white coat is symbolic of the new profession the students are entering,” said Department of Physician Assistant Studies Chair Jeanie McHugo, Ph.D., PA-C. “The coats will be worn by students through the clinical phase of their training and denote their involvement with the PA program at UND.”
Having already completed their first two semesters of biomedical science and healthcare instruction, the students now transition into the clinical aspect of their curriculum in the didactic setting before beginning their primary care clinical experiences under the supervision of physician and PA preceptors. Over the next 18 months, they will return to UND for several weeks at different junctures for additional education and training.
Sixty-seven percent of the PA Class of 2027 (22/33) is from North Dakota. Students range in age from 22 to 41 years, with an average age of 26. The class is comprised of 4 males and 29 females.
UND Master of Physician Assistant Studies Class of 2027:
- Spencer Adolphson, Park Rapids, Minn.
- Hannah Anderson, Grafton, N.D.
- Emma Astrup, Fargo, N.D.
- Madison Bartholomay, Sheldon, N.D.
- Maggie Briard, Perham, Minn.
- Karen Coenen, Rochester, Minn.
- Jaydin Decker, Dickinson, N.D.
- Kate DeGroot, Littlefork, Minn.
- Alison Dose, Green Isle, Minn.
- Kenzie Edland, Carrington, N.D.
- Jenna Elgin, Horace, N.D.
- Emily Fiorella, Scandia, Minn.
- Jamie Flam, Bismarck, N.D.
- Kate Graner, Fort Collins, Colo.
- Hannah Hogenson, Fargo, N.D.
- Michelle Jensen, Bismarck, N.D.
- Abby Kallenbach, Jamestown, N.D.
- Jadyn Kremer, Wheaton, Minn.
- Kylie Mitchell Lipetzky, Jamestown, N.D.
- Zanna Lyon, Grand Forks, N.D.
- Elayna Nesseth, St. Francis, Minn.
- Jaylen Schlenvogt, Belcourt, N.D.
- Allison Schmidt, Fargo, N.D.
- Morgan Schulz, Moorhead, Minn.
- Marriann Senftner, Bismarck, N.D.
- Camden Talley, Mandan, N.D.
- Jonah Thomas, Minot, N.D.
- Abby Triplett, Fargo, N.D.
- Katelyn Tveito, West Fargo, N.D.
- Erin Walcker, Beulah, N.D.
- Jenna Wehausen, Grand Forks, N.D.
- Lexi Weigel, Bismarck, N.D.
- Jenna Zettel, West Fargo, N.D.
This is the sixth group to benefit from the School’s Adopt-a-PA-Program, where donors to the SMHS provide professional white coats for second-year Physician Assistant Studies students who are about to begin their clinical experiences.
“We really can’t thank our supporters enough,” added McHugo. “This program met its goal the very first year we implemented it and our alumni and friends continue to show their commitment to helping us produce fabulous physician assistants for practice primarily in rural and underserved areas of our state.”
Founded in 1970 as the MedEX program, the UND Department of Physician Assistant Studies offers a unique hybrid of online coursework combined with alternating classroom and clinical experiences to award a Master of Physician Assistant Studies (M.P.A.S.) degree. The program is dedicated to preparing students to become competent physician assistants working collaboratively within the healthcare team, emphasizing primary care in rural communities.
In 2019, program faculty helped the North Dakota become the first state in the U.S. to give PAs the same practice authority as physicians. This change in law has been especially important to the state’s rural communities, which often do not have a full-time physician on-site.
UND's PA program is the only such program in North Dakota and has held continuous accreditation since its inception in 1970, celebrating more than 2000 graduates to date.
“Congratulations to the students for achieving this milestone in their professional education," added Dave Relling, P.T., Ph.D., senior associate dean for health sciences at the SMHS. "Physician assistants are an essential profession for addressing the healthcare needs of our rural communities. I also want to recognize the dedication and expertise of the faculty and staff who cultivate the knowledge, skills, and professional development of these students.”
The PA White Coat Ceremony can be streamed online at youtube.com/undsmhs.
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Brian James Schill
Director, Office of Alumni & Community Relations
School of Medicine & Health Sciences
University of North Dakota
701.777.6048 direct | 701.777.4305 office
brian.schill@UND.edu | med.UND.edu