My name is Dr. Ami Steele,
and I'm the Director of the Gardner-Webb
University Physician Assistant Studies
Program.
I am a Georgia native, and prior to
joining the GWU PA family
I was the associate program director at
my alma mater,
Emory University in Atlanta. At the age
of 25
following work with a medical mission
team in the barrios of Manila,
Philippines.
I set my sights on fulfilling my calling
to become a physician assistant.
After eight years of full-time practice
I transitioned into PA
academia in 2008. I've been a PA for
more than 20 years,
and I'm as thankful today for my choice
to become a physician
assistant. As I was in the beginning
I am incredibly proud of our PA Program
here at Gardner-Webb University.
Our graduates work in our community,
state, and across the nation.
We have an exceptional and cohesive team
of dedicated and knowledgeable faculty
and staff
that work to deliver the best
educational material
while cultivating a sense of family for
our students.
In April 2020, our program was granted
accreditation continued for 10 years by
the ARCPA.
This is a testament to the dedication
and hard work of our program
team. We are pleased to offer a virtual
experience with our team
allowing you the opportunity to get to
know us
and determine that our PA studies
program
is your top choice.
Being in the birth state of our
profession has prompted many unique
opportunities for PAs
in practice here. The reception of our
profession, and the opportunities we have
for practice are exceptional in North
Carolina.
Today, we have representation on the
North Carolina Medical Board
and recognition from the North Carolina
Medical Society.
Physician assistants are highly utilized
throughout the state, and remain a large
part of the health care workforce.
With more than 7,000 PAs licensed to
practice in the state.
Our program is a proud member of the
Physician Assistant Historical Society.
Knowing and understanding our past
allows us more clarity as we navigate
our future.
Through this collaboration, we seek to
inspire the next generation of PAs to
engage
in ongoing healthcare delivery and
professional leadership opportunities
that will continue to propel our
profession forward.
We are 50 miles west of Charlotte and 75
miles east of Asheville.
The mountains of Western North Carolina
provide a beautiful backdrop for outdoor
activities,
and great opportunities to hike trails
chase waterfalls,
and take a break from your studies.
Restaurants and shopping
are easily accessible in our neighboring
communities.
Our one-stoplight town of Boiling
Springs is filled with the beautiful
people who support the university. Pop
into any local restaurant,
and after only a few visits they'll know
your name, and whether you like your tea
sweet, or prefer a half and half.
Our 200-acre lush campus provides a
peaceful
environment with which to study.
The campus at Gardner-Webb is intimate
and easy to navigate.
We have NCAA Division I sports, and are
part of the Big South Conference.
With 3,500 students and the mountains of
Western North Carolina framing our
background,
our campus is a great place to engage
with others
as well as find a quiet place to study,
Year-round, there are plenty of ways to
get involved
on-campus and in the community through
university opportunities
and intramural sports.
We share affiliations with known and
trusted health care organizations
such as Atrium Health, Mission Health
System, Novant Health System
Pardee Hospital, Rutherford Regional
Medical Center,
and our clinical anchor affiliate
CaroMont Health.
Additionally, we have affiliations across
South Carolina,
Georgia, Virginia, Tennessee, and Florida.
In addition, we are proud of the unique
opportunities we have developed for our
students
globally in Peru as well as new sites
underdevelopment in Africa.
International medical mission
opportunities and clinical experiences
remain a priority for our program.
Our program curriculum is built on the
NCCPA blueprint topics.
We provide comprehensive preparation of
our graduates for the delivery of direct
patient care
and to pass the national certification
exam successfully.
We deliver our curriculum in a variety
of ways. In the classroom,
traditional lectures are coupled with
innovative teaching.
We utilize OSCE, offer hands-on skills
labs,
and use our state-of-the-art simulation
suite to mimic clinical settings.
Throughout our program's history, we have
placed great emphasis on preparing our
students for success with the PANCE.
In recent years, class sizes are
increasing as well as our PANCE scores.
We believe PANCE pass rates are a
combination of education offered by the
program
met with the investment of graduates in
their preparation. To bolster our
graduates PANCE preparation,
we provide an annual pants prep course
during the last week of classes before
graduation to ensure that students
refocus on academic medicine
and identify areas that require more
preparation.
Each new class has a maximum size of 36
students. We are committed to our small
class size to make each student's
experience in PA school personal
and exceptional.
Technology is a vital part of medicine,
and is utilized in many areas of our
program.
We are proud of the three Anatomage
tables that make up our virtual cadaver
lab.
Our simulation suites, and mannequins, and
task trainers
are state-of-the-art, enhancing learning
throughout our didactic and clinical
curriculum.
Our mission statement includes a focus
on the delivery of primary care medicine
to underserved patient populations.
Our program is acutely aware of the lack
of access to health care
provider shortages and high poverty
rates throughout our state and nation.
Because of this shortage, and our passion
for underserved medicines,
students that matriculate in our program
will be assigned an underserved
healthcare supervised clinical practice
experience.
Prior to the clinical year, students
offer healthcare screenings
in partnership with the Feed the Hungry
Program, a soup kitchen sponsored by the
Greater Cleveland County Baptist
Association.
After receiving a free meal at a local
church, students offer free screenings to
interested participants.
Our PA students are proud partners with
the Gardner-Webb Bulldog
Backpack Program, packing food for
students in our local elementary schools
so they do not have to be hungry.
Medicine is our primary focus,
but meeting the holistic needs and
improving the quality of life of our
patients is our passion.
From personalized interactions to our
open-door policy,
the faculty and staff of the GWU PA
Studies Program
receive high marks each year from our
graduates and students.
We are honored to mentor our students
for success in the program
clinical practice and in life.
[upbeat music plays]
