UTMB’s incoming physician assistant students received their white coats in a ceremony that welcomed them into their new program of professional study.
During the June 26 rite of passage, 89 members of the physician assistant class of 2017 donned their white coats for the first time.
“The ceremony symbolically marks the beginning of a person’s career as a health care professional,” said Elizabeth Protas, dean of UTMB’s School of Health Professions. “It’s a significant milestone on their path to a very important role in the new health care landscape.”
Dr. Karen Szauter, a professor in the Department of Internal Medicine’s Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology and medical director for UTMB’s Standardized Patient Program, was the keynote speaker for the event. Dr. Danny Jacobs, Executive Vice President and Provost, Dean of the School of Medicine, cloaked each student with a white coat.
At the closing of the ceremony, Dr. Courtney M. Townsend Jr., chairman ad interim of the Department of Physician Assistant Studies, administered the PA professional oath to the students. The oath acknowledges their new responsibilities and affirms their pledge to clinical excellence and health care.
UTMB’s Department of Physician Assistant Studies offers a master’s degree program that prepares professionals to practice medicine, under the supervision of a physician, in a wide range of settings, including primary care, specialty clinics, the emergency department and the operating room.
PAs are invaluable members of the health care team who conduct medical histories and physical examinations, order and interpret diagnostic tests, diagnose and treat health conditions, perform procedures and provide patient education and counseling services. All 50 states and the District of Columbia allow PAs to practice and prescribe medications.
