The PA Path Podcast

Stephane VanderMeulen, MA, MPAS, PA-C is not only a national and state leader in PA education, but she is joining our team with this podcast. Ms. VanderMeulen is the Chair of the Department of Health Professions and Program Director of the PA program at the Creighton University School of Medicine in Omaha, Nebraska.  Ms. VanderMeulen is a 1994 graduate of the University of Nebraska Medical Center PA program and she also holds a Master of Social Gerontology from the University of Nebraska Omaha.  Stephane practiced clinically in the fields of rural family medicine and orthopedics/sports medicine before beginning her career in PA education in 2005. She is an active advocate for PAs in education and practice and has served in professional organizations at both the state and national level.  Ms. VanderMeulen served on the board of directors of the Physician Assistant Education Association for seven years, with two terms as Director at Large before being elected President in 2015. She is dedicated to the professional development of PAs in education and remains active as a mentor for PA educators.

Paul Lombardo, MSPS-HSA, PA-C Emeritus, DFAAPA is the only PA to serve as President and Chair of the AAPA, PAEA, PA Foundation, NCCPA, and the State PA Chapter for New York. He is the 2020 recipient of the Eugene Stead Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award which is the most prestigious honor any PA may receive from the academy and he is one of the most generous humans on the planet. We talk about his nearly 50 year history as a PA, PA educator, and national and state leader and he shares his thoughts about the future of the profession and the proposed name change.

Dr. Mary Jo Bondy is the first PA to become Chief Executive Officer of the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA). She shares her vision for the organization which includes a new Chief Diversity Officer and a new PA leader overseeing admissions efforts for the profession. Listen to her challenges as she assimilated into this new role at the start of the pandemic and hear how she and the fantastic team at PAEA dug in to help students and PA programs navigate the pandemic and the challenges of systemic racism in our society this past year.

In PA education the graduate classes will often elect a leader and having strong leaders co-navigate the challenges of PA education is a definite plus as a program director. Having the benefit when facing a once in a lifetime pandemic, digital education, and systemic racism in our world is priceless. We are delighted to interview the three presidents for the Class of 2021, 2022, and 2023. Renee Lee, Heidi Amundsen, and Taylor Lé who will share their thoughts about the pre-PA journey with some tips and tricks for applicants.

Welcome to the PA Path Podcast where prospective PAs, PA students, and current PAs can learn more about the profession and the paths that PAs take to serve their communities. The podcast team will be interviewing leaders from around the world to help us all understand how to navigate the journey to becoming a certified PA and to better understand the PA profession.