Celebrating the Role of the Physician Assistant with National Physician Assistant Week

This year, National Physician Assistant Week will be celebrated from October 6th-12th. Established in 1987, this celebration was originally confined to a single day, but was later turned into a week-long event. It was designed to highlight the integral role of the physician assistant (PA) within the broader healthcare team. Midwestern University is committed to training the next generation of physician assistants by offering a PA program on its Downers Grove, IL and Glendale, AZ Campuses.

We spoke to two students from these programs to uncover how they learned about this invaluable role within a healthcare setting, what inspired them to pursue a career as a PA, how Midwestern University is supporting them on this journey, and advice they would give to others who are interested in learning more about this great profession.

How did you learn about the role of the physician assistant?

“I first learned about the role of the physician assistant while I was in undergraduate school. I went into college thinking I wanted to study epidemiology and work in a laboratory setting. However, as I learned more about the healthcare field, I quickly realized that what I actually wanted was to be more involved in face-to-face patient care. I started meeting with advisors and asking people at my school who were into healthcare about what their goals were. As I learned more, I found the role of the PA to be the best fit for me overall!” – Natalie Yoraway (IL-PA ’25).

“My mom was the first person to introduce me to the role of a physician assistant. She was seen at her local hospital by a PA and had a terrific experience. At the time, I was still in undergraduate school and studying biology, and I wasn’t really sure where my career in medicine would take me. But after she left the hospital that day, she called me and told me all about the PA and how amazing she was, and subsequently gave me the PA’s contact information. I followed up with the PA and we made plans to chat about the profession. After discussing the career for an hour, I was hooked! Following that meeting, I changed my major to pre-health sciences and continued on the track to become a physician assistant.” – Cody Baldree (AZ-PA ’25).

What inspired you to pursue a career as a physician assistant?

“My inspiration to pursue a career as a PA came from my drive to never stop working until I achieve my goals. After learning more about the field during my undergraduate career, as well as the research I did on my own, I realized that this was the best route for me. I value team collaboration and flexibility in patient care. I knew a career as a PA would be a great way for me to be directly involved in said care, and also feel supported by a team of other healthcare professionals. As time went on, my drive to become a PA only continued to grow. After college, I worked in an outpatient laboratory where I performed phlebotomy and did mid-level specimen processing. During my time there, it solidified the fact that I wanted to be more involved with patient care and to be a resource to others; ultimately, this meant I wanted to be a PA.” - – Natalie Yoraway (IL-PA ’25).

“After speaking with the PA who helped take care of my mom, I started doing my own research. I shadowed multiple PAs, and I even began working with them as a medical scribe to further determine if the career was something I would be passionate about. In practice, I watched the PAs I worked with develop deep and meaningful relationships with their patients where strong foundations of trust were established, which of course was vital to the patients. I worked at a gynecologist’s office where they specialized in chronic pelvic pain, and I saw that the different modalities the PAs implemented changed and transformed patients’ lives. Seeing the trust that patients placed in the medical staff was astounding, and it really demonstrated to me the essential role that PAs hold in the medical community. This experience was transformative and inspired me to continue on my career path towards becoming a PA myself.” – Cody Baldree (AZ-PA ’25).

How is Midwestern University helping you achieve your career goals?

“My time at Midwestern University has helped me grow so much as an individual and as a future healthcare provider. I love being on the Downers Grove Campus and being surrounded by such accomplished and determined people. It helps me to stay focused and motivated to keep working towards my goals. MWU is very accommodating to students, and they really value putting students’ learning first. I know I always have someone to reach out to on campus when I have questions or concerns about anything, whether that be my cohort, my program faculty, or even faculty in other departments and programs. It is reassuring to be part of a university that cares about teaching students and providing them with all the resources they may need.” - – Natalie Yoraway (IL-PA ’25).

“Midwestern University has been the biggest gift in my pursuit of becoming a physician assistant. While I am only in the second quarter of my first didactic year, I know that the education I am receiving now will set me up to be a well-equipped student during clinical year, and an even more prepared clinician once I graduate. Both the Physician Assistant Program faculty and the faculty in the College of Health Sciences are phenomenal educators who have the superpower of making complex medical information seem easy to understand. My professors are vastly knowledgeable in their subjects, and I feel honored to be learning from some of the brightest minds in Arizona.” - Cody Baldree (AZ-PA ’25).

What advice would you give to someone who is interested in learning more about this healthcare career?

“If I could give any advice, it would be to always ask more questions. Coming from a family who only studied business and accounting, I was the first in my family to pursue a career in healthcare. When I first started learning about the many different careers, I got overwhelmed by how I would pick what was best for me. However, if you just keep asking questions and doing your research, you will quickly learn where you will feel the most comfortable. There are also so many clubs, organizations, resources, and people to contact who are willing to talk with you about your goals and aspirations and how those fit into a healthcare career, including as a PA. So, never give up and keep asking questions!” - – Natalie Yoraway (IL-PA ’25).

“There is no better way to see if you’ll enjoy a profession than to immerse yourself in it. Therefore, I cannot recommend shadowing enough! In my pursuit to see what career in medicine would best fit me, I shadowed M.D.s, D.O.s, PAs, NPs, and CRNAs. Each shadowing opportunity taught me something new about medicine and helped me to see whether that specific career aligned with my personal goals in medicine and my lifestyle. Otherwise, I recommend working in a medical practice to see the ebb and flow of medicine. It’s important to recognize that working in medicine is a gift, but that it can also be challenging. Working in a medical office will demonstrate that very clearly and help you to see if the lifestyle of medicine meshes with your goals and personality.” Cody Baldree (AZ-PA ’25).