New Physician Assistant Students Gather at GA-PCOM
March 16, 2016
The first Physician Assistant Studies class at Georgia Campus - Philadelphia College
of Osteopathic Medicine is set to begin June 6.
Members of the Physician Assistant (PA) Studies Class of 2018 have built virtual relationships through a Facebook group, but last
week they were finally able to meet in person. A pre-orientation session was held
on campus to familiarize the students with faculty, staff members, the GA-PCOM community,
and mostly with one another.
It was incredible to see how the class of students from such institutions as Georgia
Institute of Technology, Georgia State University, LaGrange College, the University
of Georgia, the University of North Georgia and Valdosta State University have already
gelled. With backgrounds in biology and exercise science and some with master’s degrees
and intercollegiate sports experience, the students have worked as EMTs, paramedics
and medical assistants. Some have participated as teachers on Georgia State’s Bio-Bus,
and all have completed their hands on patient care experience.
Orientation for the PA students is June 2-3 with classes set to begin on June 6. In
the meantime, site director Dr. Nancy McLaughlin urged the students to brush up on
their volleyball skills as the Georgia Association of Physician Assistants’ meeting
in July features a competitive tournament between programs. The intense 26-month curriculum
will end with graduation in July of 2018.
Apparently the students weren’t finished bonding at the close of the formal pre-orientation
session. At the dinner hour, they gathered for an impromptu Taco Mac meal, many sporting
new GA-PCOM Physician Assistant t-shirts! Welcome to GA-PCOM, PA students. We’re so
pleased you’re now a part of our family!
About PCOM Georgia
Established in 2005, PCOM Georgia is a private, not-for-profit, accredited institute of higher education dedicated
to the healthcare professions. The Suwanee, Georgia, campus is affiliated with Philadelphia
College of Osteopathic Medicine, a premier osteopathic medical school with a storied
history. PCOM Georgia offers doctoral degrees in osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, and
physical therapy and graduate degrees in biomedical sciences, medical laboratory science,
and physician assistant studies. Emphasizing "a whole person approach to care," PCOM
Georgia focuses on educational excellence, interprofessional education and service
to the wider community. For more information, visit pcom.edu/georgia or call 678-225-7500. The campus is also home to the Georgia Osteopathic Care Center,
an osteopathic manipulative medicine clinic, which is open to the public by appointment.
For more information, visit pcomgeorgiahealth.org.
For more information, contact:
Barbara Myers
Senior Public Relations Manager
Email: BarbaraMy@pcom.edu
Office: 678-225-7532 | Cell:
770-309-0613
Connect with PCOM Georgia