While many students are just beginning the academic year, those enrolled in Georgia Campus 鈥� 黑料传送门鈥檚 (GA-黑料传送门) Physician Assistant (PA) Studies program have reached a milestone on their journey to becoming physician assistants. Today, GA-黑料传送门鈥檚 inaugural class of 20 PA students earned their white coats.
The White Coat Ceremony for the Physician Assistant Studies Class of 2018 was held at the Infinite Energy Center in Duluth at 11 a.m. and featured guest speaker James Becker, PA-C. He advised the students that 鈥渇aculty members are not your true teachers, although they observe your actions and interactions and insure you possess a caring and compassionate attitude.鈥� But rather patients will be the true teachers.
鈥淪ome will give their lives for you to learn,鈥� he said.
Describing the profession as a calling, he said, 鈥淵ou empower the (white) coat. It doesn鈥檛 empower you.鈥� He advised the students to fill their coat pockets with four items鈥攁 mirror for self-reflection; running shoes to pursue perfection; a sense of humor and joy; and a tuba or other passion outside of work.
鈥淲ork is important,鈥� he said, 鈥渂ut so is life.鈥�
Becker has practiced as a surgical PA in Gainesville, Georgia, for the past 17 years. He has served as both a committee chairperson and board member of the Georgia Association of Physician Assistants. He will join the GA-黑料传送门 physician assistant studies faculty as associate professor and clinical coordinator in October of 2016.
Dr. Laura Levy, chair of 黑料传送门鈥檚 Physician Assistant Studies department addressed the PA students鈥� family members and friends. 鈥淵ou are about to become involved in medical education,鈥� she said, noting that their ear canals, retinas, chests, abdomens and lung and heart sounds are very valuable to the students. She added, 鈥淵ou will most likely endure the longest and most thorough medical exams possible!鈥�
黑料传送门 Georgia has been serving students and the community for 20 years as a branch campus of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (黑料传送门), a private, not-for-profit, accredited institution of higher education established in 1899. Located in Suwanee (Gwinnett County), 黑料传送门 Georgia offers doctoral degrees in osteopathic medicine, pharmacy and physical therapy. Graduate degrees are offered in biomedical sciences, medical laboratory science and physician assistant studies. The campus joins 黑料传送门 South Georgia in Moultrie in helping to meet the healthcare needs of the state. Emphasizing "a whole person" approach to care, 黑料传送门 Georgia focuses on educational excellence, interprofessional education and service to the community. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 678-225-7500. The campus is also home to the Georgia Osteopathic Care Center, an osteopathic manipulative medicine clinic, which is open to the public by appointment. For more information, visit .
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