MTSU Physician Assistant Studies program welcomes public to symposium showcasing student work
Get a front-row seat to tomorrow’s healthcare leaders when Middle Tennessee State University’s Physician Assistant Studies program presents its annual academic symposium from noon to 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 1, in the Academic Classroom Building atrium.
“The symposium sets the stage for our students’ hard work and dedication to the profession,” said William “Brad” McCrary, assistant professor in Physician Assistant Studies and director of didactic education with the program. “Our PA students will soon be treating patients across Tennessee and beyond. This is an early look at the minds that will staff rural clinics, emergency departments and specialty offices.”
The free public event will showcase capstone projects from the Class of 2025 as they prepare to graduate in August and also provide a platform for first-year students’ poster presentations as they head into yearlong clinical rotations.
“This year we are opening the doors of our capstone and poster symposium to the public as our way of demystifying both the physician assistant profession and the rigorous 27-month journey our students undertake,” McCrary said.
Those who attend can also learn more information about the roles of physician assistants in the medical community.
“Many still confuse physician assistants with other roles in the health care team,” McCrary said. “Faculty will be on hand to explain the 27‑month curriculum — 15 months in the classroom and 12 months hands-on in clinical rotations — and the PA’s expanding role in Tennessee’s health care workforce.”
Physician assistants are licensed to diagnose and treat illness and disease, prescribe medication, and perform procedures. They work in collaboration with licensed physicians in a variety of settings including hospitals and clinics.
