Jamie Alexander, 2023 graduate of Wichita State’s Physician Associate program, was recognized by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) for becoming the 200,000th certified PA in the nation.
Alexander, who grew up in Wichita, earned a bachelor’s degree in health sciences from Friends University. After graduating in 2017, Alexander worked as a surgical assistant at Oral & Maxillofacial Surgical Associates. She was accepted into the WSU Physician Associate program and graduated in May 2023.
“Becoming a PA has been the most challenging experience of my life thus far,” Alexander said. “However, it is quickly proving to be equally as rewarding.”
To become certified, a PA must graduate from an accredited program and pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE) that tests general medical and surgical knowledge. Upon successful completion of the rigorous exam, PAs become certified and can use the credential “PA-C.”