HIGH POINT, N.C., June 11, 2017 – The timing of today’s White Coat Ceremony for physician assistant students at High Point University was significant.
Fifty years ago, the physician assistant profession was established to help medical doctors improve the lives of patients in the midst of a growing population and increasing demand for health care.
Thirty-five new physician assistant students celebrated that milestone and another one – their official induction into HPU’s physician assistant program – inside the Hayworth Fine Arts Center. Nearly 1,200 applicants competed for HPU’s 35 spots.
The White Coat Ceremony serves as the beginning to a monumental journey. Bestowing white coats to the students symbolizes their commitment to become a physician assistant who will balance excellence in science with compassionate patient care.
“Donning the white coat for the first time is a tangible symbol of this extraordinary journey,” said Dr. Linda Sekhon, founding chair of the Department of Physician Assistant Studies. “It is my hope they will carry this image with them for the rest of their lives.”
The program, housed in HPU’s Congdon School of Health Sciences, began in 2015 and now has 75 students total. The university’s first PA class will also graduate in August.
“I am excited to have been selected as a member of HPU’s new PA program, led by an incredibly experienced and intelligent staff,” said new PA student Kevan McClung, a Rye, New Hampshire native who received his white coat today. “The faculty and staff, combined with state-of-the-art facilities in the brand new Congdon School of Health Sciences, are the perfect way to learn how to be an exceptional physician assistant. I am looking forward to learning the ins and outs of the profession using our complex simulation labs to perfect my skills. The program covers an intensive list of competencies to prepare us for our clinical year, where we will get to gain hands-on patient experience in a variety of medical and surgical specialties.”
Located in the Piedmont Triad, 55 percent of clinical sites are within five miles of campus, while 80 percent of clinical sites are within 20 miles. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of physician assistants is projected to grow 30 percent through 2024, much faster than the average for all occupations.
HPU will also soon complete the new Congdon Hall to house the Congdon School of Health Sciences and Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy. Equipped with state-of-the-art technology, prestigious faculty and newly designed curriculum, the schools create a cornerstone for medical innovation at HPU.
The PA profession has flourished since it was established. Glassdoor.com, a leading job review website, ranks physician assistants #7 in their list of “25 best jobs in America.” According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of Physician Assistants is projected to grow 30 percent through 2024, much faster than average.
About the White Coat Ceremony: The white coat, worn by medical professionals, is often seen as a symbol of authority, purity, professionalism, caring, and trust. Since its inception in 1993, the White Coat Ceremony has become a national and international phenomenon among medical schools. The ceremony was designed to welcome new medical students into the medical profession and alert beginning students to the need to balance excellence in science with compassionate patient care. It has since been adopted by hundreds of colleges and universities involved in the education and training of a variety of health and medical professions, including the Physician Assistant.