Ninety-three physician assistant students from the class of 2013 took part of a historic interactive white coat ceremony, held simultaneously on three campuses. On Aug. 26 Barry University’s Physician Assistant (PA) program was live on Barry University’s Miami Shores campus, the University Partnership Center at St. Petersburg College, and the new U.S. Virgin Islands campus at the Governor Juan F. Luis Hospital and Medical Center, Virgin Islands Cardiac Center classroom.
The new campus in the U.S. Virgin Islands was made possible through two grants totaling nearly $1.5 million to the PA program from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Health Resources and Services Administration.
The ceremonies, conducted by videoconferencing, recognized Barry students from all three campuses for achieving qualifications for acceptance into the rigorous PA program, which received more than 1,500 applicants.
At the Miami Shores campus, Dean for Barry’s School of Podiatric Medicine and Physician Assistant program, Dr. Jeffrey Jensen, welcomed the students.
“This program you are about to begin is unique among health care student training programs,” he said. “Its high expectations, tremendous program standards, and an unparallel level of innovative teaching methods are all designed to provide you with the tools necessary to make your careers a success.”
Associate Dean and Program Director of Barry’s PA program, Dr. Doreen C. Parkhurst, spoke from the St. Petersburg campus.
“You are entering your education with the Barry mission as your foundation,” she said. “Barry University pursues knowledge and truth, promotes social justice, embraces an inclusive global world view, and services its local and global communities through collaborative educational partnerships. We expect that you will make a difference in the world.”
Associate Director of Barry’s PA program, Keith Moore, JD, PA-C, addressed the students from St. Croix.
“Every inaugural class is exceptional, in fact, this class is audacious,” he said. “We are offering for the first time a PA program to the U.S. Virgin Islands that is breaking new ground with the highly inventive teaching techniques and what we have accomplished to get where we are today. What you learn today in class will keep with you for a lifetime.”
Barry’s PA program began in the fall of 1997 and by 2005 the PA program began admitting students on the west coast of Florida in collaboration with the University Partnership Center at St. Petersburg College. In 2009, the PA program underwent a stringent reaccreditation survey and was awarded a seven year reaccreditation and has now graduated more than 450 PAs.
For more information about Barry University’s Physician Assistant program and its primary training partner and clinical affiliate, the Governor Juan F. Louis Hospital and Medical Center at St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, call 1-800-319-3338, option 2 or paadmissions@mail.barry.edu