PA Alumna and Students Talk to Local High School Students About Pursuing a PA Career

Physician assistant students and an alumna from the Physician Assistant (PA) Program at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS) talked to two dozen students at T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, Virginia about career pathways toward becoming a PA.

“It was quite rewarding…we all discussed our love for medicine, taking care of our patients with compassion and expertise, while maintaining general medical knowledge and career flexibility,” says Anne Littman, PA-C ‘10, who organized this event. Anne is a practicing physician assistant at the Sendi Cosmetic Surgery Center in Alexandria, Virginia, and has been a preceptor and regular guest lecturer at GW’s PA Program since graduating.

The high school students they spoke to had already expressed possible interest in a health services career. Students, grades 9-12, were members of the T.C. Williams High School’s allied health class, which exposes students to various positions and career opportunities within medicine and health sciences.

Students were able to ask questions and find out how PAs balance family, career, and personal achievement. “I believe we supplied new options to these young minds and ideas of how to achieve educational, personal, and career success from all socio-cultural and economic standings,” she added.