June 21, 2023

Director’s Message

Dr. Edward Williams Chair, UAMS Department of Physician Assistant Studies, and Director, Physician Assistant Program

Dr. Edward Williams, Chair, UAMS Department of Physician Assistant Studies, and Director, Physician Assistant Program

Celebrating 10 Years of Excellence in PA Education

The UAMS College of Health Professions PA program is proud to celebrate its 10th anniversary this year! In the past decade, we have trained over 270 PAs who are now making a difference in the lives of patients across the state and nation.

Our alumni are constantly contributing to our mission of leadership, education, and service. They are working in a variety of settings, including hospitals, clinics, and community health centers. They are also involved in teaching and advocacy for the PA profession in Arkansas.

As we celebrate the anniversary of our program, I am proud to reflect on the diversity of our program over the years. Our students, faculty, staff, and alumni are a group of people from all walks of life, with different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. This diversity is our strength. It allows us to learn from each other, to challenge each other, and to create a more inclusive and equitable world.

We are grateful for the support of our faculty, staff, students, and alumni. Together, we have built a strong and vibrant PA program that is preparing the next generation of PAs to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

We look forward to celebrating our 10th anniversary with you!

Heroes Against Hunger 5k Race

  • The 2022 Hero’s Against Hunger 5K Race took place on October 8th 2022. The students raised $11,786.44 and a check was presented to the Arkansas Food Bank on February 3, 2023.
  • PLEASE JOIN US for the 2023 Heroes Against Hunger 5K Race: The race will take place on October 7th, 2023.  All proceeds go to benefitting the Arkansas Food Bank and feeding Arkansans.  The race follows a beautiful scenic route around Two Rivers Park in Little Rock, AR. The entire race path is paved and accessible with strollers; this is a kid and pet friendly event!  Register to support this worthy cause and get your own custom event t-shirt.  Register Now

Class News

  • Class of 2025: The class matriculated in May of 2023 with 40 students.  The students attended orientation on May 8th and 9th and classes began on May 10th.  The White Coat Ceremony was held on May 26th in the Spine Center Auditorium, 12th floor of the Jack T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute.
  • Class of 2026 Application Cycle: The application cycle opened on April 27th and all applications must be verified on or before November 1, 2023. The program will be using a holistic admissions approach this year.

Faculty/Staff Update

  • Amber Teigen graduated from her Doctor of Medical Science (DMSc) program in August 2022.
  • Audra Nosal has accepted the position of Assistant Medical Director for the 12th Street Health and Wellness Center.
  • Brittany Wilkerson was selected as a 2022 American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) Health Equity Achieved through Lifestyle Medicine (HEAL) scholarship recipient. She attended the ACLM conference in November and obtained American Board of Lifestyle Medicine certification in December 2022. She is now a certified Lifestyle Medicine Professional.
  • Edward (Will) Williams was appointed as Chair of Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA) Government Relations Steering Committee and served as the Co-Chair of the ARAPA Legislative Committee during the signing ceremony for Act 303.
  • Jeff DeSantis received an award for Staff Excellence in Performance at the recent Spring College of Health Professions (CHP) Faculty and Staff meeting.
  • Lachan Siebenmorgen is working towards her PhD in Health Promotion and Prevention Research and anticipates completing the degree in May 2025.
  • Several PA Faculty are working on credentials to be able to continue precepting at 12th Street

“The Great Flood of 2023”.  The program had a pipe burst during the Christmas break and flooded the entire office. The faculty and staff were displaced from the start of Jan to Jan 30, 2023. All repairs are complete, and the office looks better than ever!

2023 Arkansas Academy of Physician Assistants (ARAPA) Conference: The conference was held in Little Rock on March 10 and 11th.  The program paid for the Class of 2023 and 2024 registration fees so students could attend.

2023 AAPA Annual Conference: Our faculty member, Audra Nosal, is the House of Delegates representative for ARAPA (Arkansas Academy of Physician Assistants.  ARAPA will fund up to $1,000 for her travel to the AAPA Conference in May. The conference will be held in Nashville, TN.

Legislative Actions

  • Two new state bills to improve Physician Assistant (PA) education and employment
  • Bill by: Rep. L. Johnson- to provide tax-incentive program for medical preceptors
  • Tax- break for Physicians, nurse practitioners (NP), and PA providers that precept Med students, NP students and PA students
  • $1,000 tax credit per student with a max of $10,000 per year for uncompensated preceptors and $6,000 per year for compensated preceptors
  • SB112 By: Sen. J. Boyd & Rep. Pilkington, Gramlich-Will allow PAs to be recognized as rendering provider and would allow for direct billing for Medicaid and private insurance
  • Official signing of Act 303 on Thursday May 4thin the capital. Act 303 allows PAs to serve as rendering providers for Medicaid and direct billing for Medicaid and other health insurers.