Wichita State Physician Associate Program

08/31/2026

Rotation One for the Class of 2027 is a wrap! While a whole lot of learning took place, so did a whole lot of fun. Gabriela Aguilar completed a surgery rotation at Southwest Medical Center in Liberal, Kansas with Doctors Peter Phan and Timothy Barron (pictured). A highlight of her rotation was being able to utilize her Spanish in patient interactions. She also made some great connections with rest of the surgical team.

Students Elena Amirani and Maria Ibrahim completed their Emergency Medicine rotation in Wichita at Ascension Via Christi with Doctors Battiste and Chang. We are fortunate to have several preceptors through this site that allows students to complete rotations alongside their classmates and have extra support during their experience.

Eight more rotations to go!

08/27/2026

The Kansas Behavioral Health Center of Excellence has been instrumental in our mission of transforming students into highly competent, compassionate, and professional PAs. Funding provided has allowed us to strengthen our behavioral health training including expanding pharmacology curriculum, integrate the Suspenders4Hope Su***de Prevention training into our behavioral health coursework, updating equipment for AIDT, developing the first PA Behavioral Health Fellowship in Kansas with our partners at Hutchinson Regional Medical Center, and awarding scholarships to decrease the financial burden on our students.

We are grateful for their support and the opportunity to continue this valuable work within our Program and communities.

Wichita State's Suspenders4Hope® has recognized the physician associate program in the College of Health Professions as a Mental Health Advocate for its commitment to incorporating mental wellness into its curriculum. Physician associate students not only get comprehensive support while in college, but the program also promotes and prepares students to be compassionate care givers after graduation.

Read the full story at the link in the comments.

08/25/2026

Congratulations to Assistant Clinical Professor and Director of Student Scholarship, Brittany Imel, MPA, PA-C, as the recipient of the 2026 College of Health Professions Rodenberg Award for Excellence in Teaching!

Health Professions faculty members may be nominated for this award by students in recognition of their outstanding classroom instruction. Professor Imel’s dedication to educating future PA’s is making an impact and this recognition is well deserved!

08/19/2026

Student Spotlight: Matthew, Class of 2028

Prior healthcare experience: Emergency Department Technician

Outside of the classroom you can find me: Exploring National Parks- 18 in the last 2 years and nearly 30 in total!

Why I chose the Wichita State PA Program: The emphasis on rural and underserved populations, combined with over half a century’s worth of producing reliable clinicians. WSU’s established clinical rotations will gift me an advanced opportunity to thoroughly learn and grow during my clinical rotations. Its affordability is also unmatched for such a rich history of PA education!

My advice for future PA students: “Looking shiny on a paper application isn’t everything. Be genuine, authentic, and stray from robotic. It’s also okay to not be type-A!”

What specialty do I think I may begin practicing in: As of right now… Emergency Medicine/pursue an EM fellowship, or work in trauma/critical care.

08/10/2026

Our students don’t only excel in the classroom. We asked for some hidden talents and… 🤯🤯🤯

Among the Classes of 2027 and 2028 we have:

-an amazing baker (not pictured is her delicious biscoff cookie cheesecake)
-a former International soccer player that has played in World Cup qualifiers for the Wales Senior National Team
-an outstanding nature photographer who has found inspiration from our beautiful National Parks
-an archeologist AND rugby player (pictured with her twin who also played)
-an artist who has made beautifully intricate pottery

When we say we have well-rounded and talented students, we really mean it!

08/03/2026

After volunteering with Shower Up Wichita, Class of 2028 students Aubrey Snapp and Aspen Wilson organized a donation drive to support the local outreach program. This drive was able to stock 50 first aid supply kits and other personal hygiene items for members of the Wichita community. What an amazing way to start the first semester!

07/31/2026

We are thrilled to announce Class of 2027 student Jacey Arnett has been elected as a 2026-2027 Student Delegate to the American Academy of Physician Associates House of Delegates!

Student delegates serve as representatives for PA students nationwide, reviewing and contributing to resolutions, and help shape the PA profession by sharing student perspectives.

Congratulations Jacey on this great opportunity and achievement!

07/30/2026

During the White Coat Ceremony, we were proud to honor not only the achievements of the Class of 2026, but also some of our outstanding preceptors and student award recipients.

Please join us in celebrating the Guest Speaker of the Year, Amanda Twist, PA-C, Preceptor Group of the Year, Ascencion Via Christi Pediatrics- Karen Blackburn, PA-C, Ashley Graf, FNP-C, and Elizabeth Lauterbach, PA-C, and Preceptor of the Year, Brian Unruh, PA-C. Your time, encouragement, and generosity in sharing your knowledge with our students is greatly appreciated.

Student Award recipients include Outstanding Research- Rielee Betnar and Paige Saenz, Outstanding Academic Achievement- Jack Watson, Outstanding Clinical Achievement- Maura Garrison, and Outstanding Student- Autymn Schreiner.

Congratulations again to the Physician Associate Program Class of 2026! 🥼

07/27/2026

A solid support system is one of the keys to getting through PA school. Friends, family, preceptors, and classmates- thank you all for cheering on the Class of 2026 along their journey to becoming PA-C’s!

07/25/2026

Congratulations Jake! 🥼

There's a new Physician Assistant in town!

We're proud to celebrate Jake Cox, PA, whose journey at Patterson Health Center is a testament to hard work and dedication. Jake advanced from Nursing Services Assistant (NSA) to Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) to Registered Nurse (RN) - and now to Physician Assistant (PA), all while serving our community.

You'll now find Jake caring for patients in our Emergency Department.

As an added honor, Jake was inducted into the Alpha Eta National Physician Assistant Honor Society in recognition of his academic excellence.

Congratulations, Jake! We're grateful to have you on the Patterson Health Center team.