2023 Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient
This award, the highest honor bestowed by the Physician Assistant Studies Alumni Association, is presented annually to one alumnus who has made major contributions to the medical profession through commitment of excellence in patient care, research, publications, education, community service and/or leadership roles.
About Dr. Eames
Dr. Jennifer Eames is a Professor for the Physician Assistant (PA) Program at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas, and a clinically practicing PA for the Department of Veteran’s Affairs Clinical Resource Hub.
Dr. Eames obtained
her bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Physician Assistant Studies in 2002 and served as the class president. In 2010, she received her Master’s degree in Physician Assistant Studies from the University of
Nebraska with a concentration in Infectious Disease. Dr. Eames also obtained her Doctoral Degree in Health Science from Nova Southeastern University in 2015 to further her career as a PA leader.
Dr. Eames has practiced clinically as a
PA since 2002 in gastroenterology, family medicine, and infectious disease. She served as a faculty member, the Admissions Director, and Vice-Chair of the PA Program at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston from 2010-2015 prior to moving
to Abilene in 2015. She founded the new PA program at Hardin-Simmons University in 2015, focused on serving rural populations. With that accomplishment, she becomes the first female ever in the state of Texas to founded a PA Program as a director.
As a published author in both educational and professional journals and a nationally renowned speaker, she is passionate about leading future generations of physician assistants. She is also passionate about serving her fellow man and has participated
in frequent global mission work, including service-learning experiences with her PA and Medical students.
Dr. Eames serves on committees and councils at both the state and national level for PAs including being a past president for the
Texas Academy of Physician Assistants. Advocacy has been critical to her existence personally and professionally with many leadership positions and capitol hill visits in her past. She was one of twelve educators nationally to write the prestigious
Physician Assistant Clinical Knowledge Rating Assessment Tool (PACKRAT) exam – given to thousands of PA Students each year across the country and is now on the Board of Directors for the national Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA).
Dr. Eames has also represented Texas in the American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA’s) House of Delegates and served as the membership chair for the International Association of PA Educators. Through those roles, she worked to author
official language and passed resolutions that will be adopted by organizations like the World Health Organization for proper classification of PAs and their analogues in global settings.
In 2022, Dr. Eames became the first female PA in the state of Texas ever to attain the rank of full Professor. Dr. Eames and her husband have two adult children and one precious granddaughter. She enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her family for leisure.