Celebrating Class of ’21 PA Program Graduates

Written by Catherine Lewis Saenz

On November 9th, the PA Class of 2021 gathered at The Cable Center in downtown Denver to celebrate their graduation from what became a unique program in more ways than one. The graduates not only completed 27 months of rigorous coursework, split between didactic and clinical phases, but they did so mostly during a worldwide pandemic. The challenges that the graduates faced as students, both on a personal and academic level, have molded them into more resilient healthcare providers.

In her keynote address, Lise Johnson, PhD, Director of Basic Science Curriculum, also emphasized another important trait that the graduates embody: trust. “You aren’t here today because you are so smart, because you are so nice, or because you worked so hard. All of those things happen to be true, but they are immaterial. You are here today because you have proven that you are competent, collaborative, compassionate physician assistants. And we trust you.”

After the graduates walked across the stage to be hooded and receive their diplomas, they recited the Physician Assistant’s Oath. With it, they pledged to hold as their “primary responsibility the health, safety, welfare and dignity of all human beings.” The next step for the new graduates is to take a national certification examination, administered by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants, before they begin practicing in a clinical setting.

This article was originally featured in RVU’s Vista View Newsletter. To view the full issue, visit: https://issuu.com/rvucom/docs/2021216_vista_view.

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