Girded With 'Armor of Compassion,' PA Students Start Clinical

Students in the physician assistant Class of 2019 celebrated a milestone in their education on July 21 with the program’s traditional “white coat ceremony.” Twenty-seven students marked the completion of three semesters of intensive classroom study that will be followed – beginning with the Fall 2018 semester – with a full year of hands-on patient care at health care sites, under the supervision of clinical preceptors. The white coat, explained the program’s medical director, Dr. Gregory R. Frailey, in welcoming remarks, holds a great deal of symbolism. He dons his white coat each workday as though putting on the armor of compassion. Other speakers included Dr. Anju Sonia Dayal, a part-time instructor of physician assistant; Larissa D. Whitney, instructor of physician assistant; Brian M. McKeon Sr., assistant professor of physician assistant; and class representatives Kelly E. Heckman, of Bellefonte, and Wayne R. Jacobs, of Jersey Shore. The class, led by Physician Assistant Club President Valerie L. Kubalak, of Spring Mills, recited the physician assistant oath, pledging to hold the health, safety, welfare and dignity of all human beings as their primary responsibility, then presented gifts to the full-time physician assistant faculty, including a gift of $1,000 to the Global Down Syndrome Foundation in honor of Carter Whitney.