The University of Lynchburg PA Medicine program welcomed the Class of 2025 on May 30, 2023. We are excited to see each student grow in their passion and knowledge for medicine.
Congratulations to Dr. W. Joseph Bowman, who received the 2023 Edward A. Polloway Award for Excellence in Graduate Teaching at the 2022-23 University of Lynchburg Academic Awards ceremony.
Each year, the University of Lynchburg honors a member of the faculty who teaches within one of our exceptional graduate programs. This award seeks to recognize a faculty member who is recognized by students as an exemplary representative of the quality of the teaching faculty at the University of Lynchburg.
Dr. Bowman serves as an outstanding example in his care for students, his professionalism, and his humanitarian efforts! He sets a high bar of excellence in his interactions with students, faculty, and patients.
Congratulations to University of Lynchburg PA Medicine clinical year student, Shiloh Howard, on her recognition at the 2022-23 University of Lynchburg Academic Awards.
Shiloh received the College of Medical Science 2022-23 Emerging PA Advocacy and Leadership Award. This award is given annually to a current PA Medicine student who is actively involved at either the college/university or state/national level, who demonstrates exemplary service to the PA profession by participating in various roles related to PA Advocacy and leadership, and who maintains a high level of academic achievement.
Congratulations to our University of Lynchburg College of Medical Science Virginia Academy of PAs Challenge Bowl team who competed against the other Virginia PA Programs at the VAPA Fall 2022 CME Conference on Nov. 5, 2022, and won the competition! We are so proud of their accomplishment!
The University of Lynchburg PA Medicine program enjoyed celebrating PA Week Oct.6-12th, 2022, and spreading the work on how #PAsGoBeyond!
On Aug. 19, 2022 and August 20th, 2022, the University of Lynchburg PA Medicine program welcomed Dr. Kimberly Sapre, DMSc, PA-C as our Keynote Speaker for both the Short and Long White Coat Ceremonies! Thank you Dr. Sapre for your inspiring message and passion for PA Education!
The University of Lynchburg PA Medicine program enjoyed attending the 2022 American Academy of PAs national conference in Indianapolis, IN and competing in the #AAPA22 Medical Challenge Bowl!
The University of Lynchburg PA Medicine program is thankful for ParkView Community Mission and our second year PA Students who have helped serve meals during the Fall 2021 semester!
Dr. Jenna Rolfs ’20 DMSc, PA-C and Professor Nikoleta Delis, PA-C presented their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives in PA Education at VAPA’s 2021 Summer Conference in Virginia Beach!
Class of 2022 practicing suturing and knot-tying in ACP as they prepare for clinical year!
Congratulations to Dr. Eric Schmidt, the 2020-2021 recipient of The Edward A. Polloway Award for Excellence in Graduate Teaching! Dr. Schmidt is the course director for our anatomy and pathophysiology course series as well as co-course director for our research courses in the Masters program. His innovative teaching methods and love for learning are an inspiration to all!
On Friday, March 19, 2021 the University of Lynchburg PA Medicine program partnered with PATHS Piedmont Access to Health Services, Inc to volunteer and help with a mass vaccination clinic in Danville, VA at the Salvation Army. Professor Shaffron, our PA Medicine Director of Education, and five clinical year PA Medicine students (Skylar Groth, PA-S, Summer Richardson, PA-S, Colin Malcolm, PA-S, Alex Lower, PA-S, and Lisa Naughton, PA-S) helped serve the local community that day!
Read about how University of Lynchburg PA Medicine students have adapted to the pandemic this past year in the News and Advance. (Pictured: Skylar Groth, PA-S).
We have enjoyed seeing our University of Lynchburg PA students helping out at the Centra COVID vaccine clinic!
The University of Lynchburg is hosting regular clinics to test faculty, staff, and students for COVID-19. The clinics are for individuals without COVID symptoms and you must sign up in advance to ensure social distancing. Pictured: PA Medicine second-year student Todd Bernsohn helping with testing.
On Saturday, October 31, PA Medicine faculty, staff, and students spend a service learning day packing boxes to help Governor Northam’s Task Force for PPE distribution to all primary care offices in the state of Virginia. Article
Congratulations to our Class of 2020 inductees into the Pi Alpha National Honor Society: Connor Middlekauff, MPAS, PA-C, Amanda Osei, MPAS, PA-C, Austin Hamilton, MPAS, PA-C
The School of PA Medicine created the video below to share important information about staying healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic, and also to say thank you to providers.
Taylor Grasser, PA-S2 is the 2020 Emerging PA Advocacy and Leadership award recipient. This annual award given by the School of PA Medicine honors a currently enrolled University of Lynchburg PA Medicine student who is actively involved and demonstrates exemplary service to the PA profession on either the College/University or State/National levels. Taylor is an exceptional student and very much deserving of the Emerging PA Advocacy and Leadership Award. She is dedicated to her role as the chair for the PA Outreach Committee. During her time as outreach chair, Taylor has coordinated multiple successful and thoughtful community service activities including hosting a baby shower for multiple women from Blue Ridge Pregnancy Center, volunteering with Lynchburg Grows, organizing a PA day celebration, and volunteering at the Virginia 10 Miler on behalf of Miriam’s house, among many others. In addition to Taylor’s dedication to her class and her community, Taylor is dedicated to the PA profession. She is an advocate for PAs and leads by example. Not only is Taylor academically exceptional, she is kind, empathetic, supportive, and knowledgeable about the profession.
Stephen Lewia, MPAM, PA-C is the 2020 Doctor of Medical Science Graduate PA Advocacy and Leadership Award recipient. This the annual award, given by the Doctor of Medical Science program, honors a currently enrolled University of Lynchburg Doctor of Medical Science student who is actively involved and demonstrates exemplary service to the PA profession on the College/University or State/National levels. PA Lewia was elected as Director-at-Large in 2019 after serving previously as the Student Director on the AAPA Board of Directors, President of the AAPA Student Academy, and a member of the AAPA House of Delegates. PA Lewia is currently an Emergency Medicine PA Fellow at Arrowhead Medical Center in San Bernardino County, California. PA Lewia enrolled in the PA program at the University of Lynchburg, where he was elected president of his class, and the Polloway Student Society. He will complete the Doctor of Medical Science degree at the University of Lynchburg in June 2020.
What a unique and educational online learning experience the University of Lynchburg School of PA Medicine had on Friday, April 24! Our Class of 2020 and Class of 2021 worked together in Problem-Based Learning to critically think through a case. Our second-year PA students were able to provide guidance to our first-year PA students based on their clinical year experiences and growth in the program.
Dr. Elyse Watkins, Professor Jenna Rolfs, DMSc PA Fellow Stephen Lewia, PA-C, and nine University of Lynchburg PA Medicine student leaders attended the American Academy of PAs Leadership Advocacy Summit on March 5-7 to advocate for the PA profession. PAs from across the United States were on Capitol Hill advocating for legislation that helps PAs better care for our patients!
The University of Lynchburg PA Medicine program is very grateful for its partnership with the Free Clinic Of Central Virginia! During Dr. Johnson’s community clinic course every Friday morning in the Spring Semester, we have community guest lecturers who come speak to our students about collaboration within the healthcare system. Pictured below is Dr. Gus Petticolas, the Free Clinic of Central Virginia’s Board of Directors Secretary and Dental Director with Dr. Johnson and our Class of 2021!
Thank you to Dr. Pat Aronson, PhD for completing Safe Space Ally Training in Dr. Nicholas’ Social and Cultural Aspects of Healthcare class this Spring Semester!
Podcast: Dr. Jeremy Welsh on The HIVE: COVID-19
Congratulations to second-year PA student, Sunny Pydah, for being to selected to the highly competitive Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA) Future Educator Fellowship. We are so proud of you!
The University of Lynchburg School of PA Medicine Students Without Borders (SWOB) spent 10 days of their holiday break serving on a medical mission trip with SOL Education Abroad in Oaxaca, Mexico. Together with 48 PA students and 11 preceptors, including 3 DMSc fellows, the group was able to serve ~500 patients during the medical mission trip. Along with serving patients, the UL group was able to spend time learning about the culture and collaborating with local healthcare providers!
The PA Medicine program attended the Virginia Academy of PAs Fall CME Conference in Richmond on November 16th and our students participated in the Challenge Bowl! We are proud of all their hard work and dedication to the PA Profession!
Dr. Jeremy M. Welsh DHSc, JD, PA-C, EM-CAQ, DFAAPA, CHEP at the American Academy of PAs CHLM Executive Leadership Conference pictured with DMSc alumni, including AAPA President-Elect Beth Smolko, DMSc, PA-C and AAPA Immediate Past-President Jonathan Sobel, DMSc, MBA, PA-C, DFAAPA, and current PA fellows!
On Saturday, November 2nd, the University of Lynchburg School of PA Medicine participated in the Martinsville Community Care Collaborative. In collaboration with students from Averett School of Nursing and Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine, the School of PA Medicine students, staff, and faculty were able to serve ~230 patients in Martinsville and the surrounding counties!
The University of Lynchburg PA Medicine Outreach Committee had another successful Outreach event this past Saturday, October 26th. Four of our students showed up bright and early Saturday morning to assist Sports Outreach Institute (SOI) with moving furniture from a storage unit on Timberlake Rd to their new office off Bedford Avenue! Sports Outreach Institute (SOI) has programs in Lynchburg, Uganda, Kenya, India, Mexico, El Salvador and Honduras. Their mission is to mold young leaders, empower women, provide food and wells with clean water, develop public health initiatives, and more. They do so much for others, it is a pleasure to lend them a helping hand!
Dr. Jeremy Welsh was the keynote speaker at the APP Leadership Summit at The Great Midwestern Medical Conference on Tuesday, October 23rd.
The University of Lynchburg PA Medicine Program had the honor of having Vice Mayor Mary Jane Dolan who is also a University of Lynchburg Board of Trustee Member read the PA Day Proclamation at our PA Day picnic on Thursday, October 10th during PA Week!
Letters to the Editor for Saturday, October 5, 2019
The University of Lynchburg PA Medicine program had a group of 11 students wake up bright and early to volunteer at the Virginia 10-Miler on Saturday, September 28th on behalf of Miriam’s House! Their primary jobs were to cheer on and direct runners and to assist if any emergencies arose. Our group came alongside another University of Lynchburg group who prepared signs to encourage the runners and to help raise awareness for Miriam’s House. Thanks to everyone who made it out to volunteer, and awesome job to those who ran the races that day!
The University of Lynchburg School of PA Medicine had its third outreach event of the fall semester on Wednesday, September 11th! We had 18 students volunteer at Miriam’s House, a non-profit organization that seeks to end homelessness in Lynchburg by connecting families with stable, affordable housing and providing the skills and supports to promote self-sufficiency. One group addressed and sorted invitations to their upcoming silent auction and banquet, while another group offered to assemble furniture for their on-site housing. It was a pleasure working with the staff at Miriam’s House, and we are grateful to be able to serve an organization that helps people get back on their feet and integrate productively into the community!
Our University of Lynchburg PA Medicine Outreach Committee was busy in the community on Friday, September 6th at Get Downtown Lynchburg 2019! Our students helped vendors set up prior to the start of the event, assisted vendors and attendees during the event, and cleaned up the streets of any litter!
On August 28, our University of Lynchburg PA students participated in their first outreach event of the new semester! Twenty-three of our PA students served at Lynchburg Grows, an urban garden right here in town that provides fresh vegetables to the local food pantries and others in the community. Our students spent most of the time weeding rose and vegetable beds as well as shoveling compost and tilling the soil. It was a great way to get out of the classroom, clinic, or hospital and serve our Lynchburg community.
The University of Lynchburg PA Medicine program is excited to announce that our second-year PA student, Sunayana Pydah, has been selected for the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA) Future Educator Fellowship. This is a highly competitive fellowship where fifteen PA students are selected each year to participate. The fellowship is designed to explore foundations in teaching, expose students to the current educational environment, and expand professional development and leadership opportunities. Congratulations, Sunny! We are so proud of you!
The University of Lynchburg PA Medicine program would like to congratulate our Class of 2019. On August 17, the Class of 2019 received their long white coat, signifying successful completion of the University of Lynchburg PA Medicine program!
We started a new tradition this year at the long white coat graduation ceremony! The University of Lynchburg School of PA Medicine began their membership with Pi Alpha – The National Honor Society for PAs. The Pi Alpha Honor Society was organized in 2004 by the Association of Physician Assistant Programs (APAP) for the promotion and recognition of significant academic achievement, leadership, research, community/professional service, and the encouragement of a high standard of character and conduct. Our inaugural inductees are Dr. Eric Schmidt, PhD who is instrumental in our 27-month curriculum and teaches Human Anatomy, Pathophysiology, Medical Informatics, and the Research Courses; Ms. Amy Popko who was the LCPA Students Without Borders President during her time with the PA Medicine program, and Ms. Nina Ong who was the Polloway Student Society President during her time with the PA Medicine program. We would like to congratulate our inductees and thank them for their continued contribution to the PA program and profession!
Dr. Jeremy M. Welsh, VAPA President-Elect; Dr. Beth Smolko, AAPA President – Elect; Professor Melissa Shaffron; and Professor Jenna Rolfs at the Virginia Academy of PAs 2019 Summer Conference in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
University of Lynchburg PA Medicine is proud to announce that Sunny Pydah, second-year PA student, received the Virginia Academy of PAs Student of the Year award at the VAPA Summer Conference on Monday, July 22.
Our fully integrated ultrasound curriculum includes didactic instruction every week on a module consistent with what the PA students are learning in their didactic classes. Additionally, our students receive hands-on instruction and practice with beside point-of-care ultrasound in a lab every Tuesday morning. Pictured are our first-year students practicing the ocular/head/neck beside point-of-care ultrasound exam.
Our PA Medicine faculty and students attended the AAPA National conference on May 18-23. Our PA students participated in the ultrasound iScan event, attended CME lectures, helped out at the School of PA Medicine booth, and participated in the AAPA National Challenge Bowl where our challenge bowl team represented the program by making it to the stage. Only 36 out of 104 participating teams make it on stage. We are so proud of our PA students! Pictured is School of PA Medicine faculty and students at the National Challenge Bowl.
Students Without Borders Gala:
The University of Lynchburg LCPA Students Without Borders (SWOB) hosted their Gala & Silent Auction supporting their annual international trip and the Free Clinic Of Central Virginia! The event took place on July 20, 2019 at Boonsboro Country Club.
Miles for Medicine 5K: The University of Lynchburg PA students and Lynchburg community promoted running towards better health at the 4th Annual Miles for Medicine 5K. The course took place on the beautiful cross-country course at HumanKind on June 1, 2019. Blood pressure screens, healthy snacks, and various health information were provided. Proceeds benefit the Free Clinic of Central Virginia, providing medical and dental care to the underinsured and uninsured population of Lynchburg. Additionally, proceeds benefit the PA Student Society in the Lynchburg PA Program to help students attend the annual National Academy of PAs conference.
Loft Tour: Our PA students volunteered at the Fifteenth Annual Downtown LOFT tours on Saturday, April 27 benefiting the Free Clinic of Central Virginia. Pictured are some of our PA students volunteering with our Medical Director, Dr. Johnson.
Congratulations, Dr. Bowman! The University of Lynchburg School of PA Medicine would like to congratulate Dr. Joe Bowman for receiving the “Outstanding Organizational Advisor Award” at the Leadership Awards Banquet on Thursday, April 25, 2019. Dr. Bowman is a great asset to both the PA program and his work with the EMS students at the University of Lynchburg!
Congratulations to University of Lynchburg PA Medicine graduate Carlie Black, MPAM, PA-C and her recent publication in USA Today titled: “Optimize your outcome from knee replacement surgery.”
The University of Lynchburg PA Medicine students and faculty served alongside our Lynchburg community partners on Saturday, April 13 at the Community Care Collaborative Lynchburg. The event was held at the Salvation Army and provided patients with free health and community resources.
The University of Lynchburg PA Medicine program is very appreciative for our partnership with the Free Clinic of Central Virginia, where every Friday PA faculty and students work alongside each other treating patients.
