Wichita State Physician Associate Program

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Wichita State Physician Associate Program

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The Physician Associate (PA) program at Wichita State is the first and longest-running PA program in Kansas and one of the first in the nation.

It is our mission to transform students into highly competent, compassionate, and professional PAs.

10/22/2026

Faculty and staff took a (future) house tour today! This project is nearing completion and it was amazing to see the progress made. We can’t wait to move in and have our students join us at the Wichita Biomedical Campus℠ next year!

10/21/2026

Happy National Pharmacy Week to our own Professor LaDonna Hale!

While our PA students benefit from her wealth of knowledge, she also generously gives her time to other campus partners and community organizations. Professor Hale is on the planning committee for the upcoming Live Well with Diabetes Conference, coaches for the yearly CLARION competition, and is a TeamSTEPPS coordinator.

Thank you Professor Hale for all you do for the PA Program and community!

10/20/2026

Practicing with Purpose- catch up with Program alum Paige Meats!

Class of 2025 graduate Paige Meats has returned to her rural Kansas roots by joining Coffey Health System as a family medicine provider in Gridley, Kansas. Read below for more details on her journey as a Physician Associate!

What is your current role and favorite parts of your specialty/site?: “My current role is as a family medicine provider at Coffey Health System’s outreach clinic in Gridley, Kansas. One of my favorite parts of family medicine is the variety it offers and the opportunity to care for patients of all ages with a wide range of needs. I enjoy that every day brings something different and that I am constantly learning. I also love getting to know my patients on a personal level and building lasting relationships with them. Working in a small community allows me to connect with patients beyond the exam room and be part of their lives through different stages. The close-knit feel of a small community is special, and I love having the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of the people I care for.”

Tell us about your experience within the WSU PA Program: “My time in the Wichita State University PA program was filled with great memories, valuable learning experiences, and lasting friendships. My favorite experiences came from the variety of clinical rotations and the opportunity to learn from different providers and specialties. I was able to be exposed to surgery, obstetrics/gynecology, family medicine, internal medicine, emergency medicine, orthopedic surgery, pediatrics, behavioral medicine, endocrinology, neurology, end of life care, pharmacy, and more. These experiences helped build my confidence and prepared me for my career as a PA.”

Did a rotation experience influence your specialty or site choice?: “Yes! Growing up in Burlington, Kansas and marrying a farmer from my hometown, I always knew I wanted to return to rural Kansas. I love the close-knit community lifestyle and the opportunity to make a difference in a town I call home. (Cont. in comments)

10/18/2026

A bit of work and a bit of fun at the Kansas Academy of PAs Heart of America CME conference!

The conference was a great opportunity to network and learn. Faculty and students were able to attend sessions and gain insight from fellow PA’s on topics such as neurology, emergency medicine, and leadership. Thank you KAPA for another great event!

10/16/2026

Class of 27 student Riley Ranzau doesn’t miss a beat! ❤️

Today Riley presented to the Class of 2028 on EKG interpretation. After a recent Cardiology rotation, she reached out to faculty and asked to share the knowledge she gained with Didactic Year students. Riley spoke highly about her experience saying “Working through rhythm strips and EKGs with my preceptor taught me how to thoroughly evaluate them and helped me become more confident in doing so. Learning to read EKGs isn’t always a very intuitive process, so my hope is that sharing my perspective as a fellow student alongside many of the things I’ve learned from various professors, preceptors, and classmates will be helpful for this next class!”

We are extremely proud of her initiative and desire to pass along her insight to fellow students. Well done Riley!!

10/14/2026

Student Spotlight: Hilary, Class of 2028

Prior healthcare experience: CNA in long-term care facility and TMS/Spravato Technician.

Outside of the classroom you can find me: Working out, spending time with friends and family, and trying new coffee shops.

Why I chose the Wichita State PA Program: I chose the Wichita State’s PA Program for its proximity to home and its great reputation.

My advice for future PA students: I would advise future PA students to get as much healthcare experience as possible and develop a strong support system before beginning school.

What specialty do I think I may begin practicing in: I plan to begin my practice in family medicine.

10/12/2026

The second cohort is underway for the Wichita State University Behavioral Health Physician Associate Fellowship!

This Fellowship, established alongside our partners at Hutchinson Regional Medical Center, is a 13 month program that provides specialized Behavioral Health training for Physician Associates. Blair Brantley Holcomb, PA-C, and Elise Trill, PA-C, were welcomed with a luncheon in their honor last week, hosted by Horizons Mental Health Center. Congratulations Blair and Elise on this exciting step in your careers!

10/08/2026

Was someone a little salty about the dog sitting responses afterwards???? Yes, yes they were 😂

10/07/2026

What better time than PA Week to highlight an amazing alumni?!

Meet Joey Lewis, PA-C, Class of 2024, and hear about how a clinical rotation lead to his current position at Patterson Health Center

What is your current role and favorite part of that specialty/site?- I am an Emergency Medicine PA at Patterson Health Center, a rural critical access hospital in Harper County, Kansas. I love working in a smaller rural community with a tight-knit group of coworkers. We help each other out and communicate very well as a care team. I’m grateful for everyone that makes our hospital and community what it is. I also serve as a Director at Large on the Kansas Academy of PAs (KAPA) Board of Directors.
What was your favorite experience with the Program?- I really enjoyed all of the hands-on learning opportunities and labs we did. The “Hunger Games”, intubation practice, and many others made me very well prepared for my clinical year and my practice after graduation.
How did you get involved in KAPA leadership?- I began as the student assembly representative (SAR) for the Program while in school. After graduation, I made sure to remain in contact with KAPA leadership and attend as many in person conferences as I could. When the position opened, I applied through the KAPA website.
Did a rotation experience influence your specialty/site choice?- My rotations absolutely influenced my choice of specialty and site when job seeking after graduation. I was not initially thinking of working in emergency medicine, but after my EM rotation I fell in love with that setting. I also rotated through the emergency department at my rural hospital that I now work in. I loved it so much that I knew I needed to pursue a career there if I could do so! Lucky for me, a position opened up shortly after I graduated!

Know a Program alum doing great things in their community? Send their info our way so that we can recognize them! 💛🖤

10/06/2026

PA Week is starting off strong in Wichita! The week kicked off with some incredible presentations from Hillary Lewia, DMSc, PA-C, AAPA Graduate Advisor, and Doug Smith, Executive Director of KAPA. We are grateful to have such amazing examples of advocacy and leadership give their time to support our students. Part of what makes our community so successful is the emphasis on mentoring and collaboration, and Hillary and Doug are great examples of that!

Address

1845 Fairmount
Wichita, KS
67260

Website

http://www.wichita.edu/pa

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