Since
Baldwin
Wallace
University
launched
its
physician
assistant
(PA)
graduate
program,
some
200
graduates
have
filled
the
need
for
health
care
providers
in
all
types
of
specialties.
Alaina
Gent
'21
found
her
niche
in
general
surgery.
Alaina
Gent
'21
serves
as
a
general
surgery
physician
assistant
(PA)
with
the
Summa
Health
System
in
Barberton,
Ohio,
which
she
describes
as
"exciting"
work.
"I
have
been
working
for
over
a
year
now
and
enjoy
the
variety
in
general
surgery
very
much,"
Gent
says
about
her
PA
path.
"I
have
a
great
team
of
providers
that
I
am
lucky
to
work
with,
and
together
we
see
patients
in
the
inpatient,
outpatient
and
operating
room
settings.
I
am
honored
to
be
able
to
care
for
patients
each
day."
Superior
exam
preparation
Gent
says
her
BW
education
prepared
her
"very
well"
for
the
role.
"I
had
no
trouble
passing
boards
and
felt
prepared
for
my
career,"
she
recalls.
"The
knowledge
base
I
had
upon
graduating
was
great
and
is
why
my
transition
into
practice
has
been
successful."
In
fact,
since
2015,
graduates
of
BW's
physician
assistant
program
have
achieved
a
99%
cumulative
first-time
pass
rate
on
the
Physician
Assistant
National
Certifying
Exam
(PANCE).
World-renown
clinicals,
early
advantage
Gent
identifies
BW's
"fabulous
professors"
as
the
number
one
advantage
of
the
program
-
"[t]heir
kindness
and
dedication
to
students
shines
through"
-
but
she
also
notes
that
the
24-month
program,
which
begins
and
ends
in
May
each
year,
launches
graduates
into
the
job
market
ahead
of
most
others.
"May
was
the
perfect
time
[to
graduate],
and
I
had
a
job
by
mid-summer,"
she
says.
"I
also
loved
the
clinical
options
at
BW.
I
was
able
to
rotate
at
world-renowned
systems
while
being
close
to
family."
Choosing
the
PA
career
path
Before
pursuing
her
Master
of
Medical
Science
(MMS)
degree
at
BW,
Gent
earned
a
bachelor's
degree
from
the
University
of
Akron
as
a
decorated
honors
student.
She
started
at
BW
the
day
after
her
graduation.
"PA
school
is
a
great
choice
regardless
of
your
undergrad
or
professional
background.
I
have
a
bachelor's
degree
in
exercise
science
pre-PT,"
she
explains.
"I
am
thankful
for
my
great
education
that
allows
me
to
impact
many
each
day
as
I
continue
to
work
as
a
PA."
When
asked
to
give
advice
to
first-year
students
at
her
undergraduate
alma
mater,
Gent
suggested
they
explore
"unfamiliar
territory."
"If
you
hit
a
dead
end
in
the
road,
make
a
new
trail.
It
is
easy
to
do
what
is
comfortable,
but
the
real
opportunities
of
life
await
once
you
leave
your
bubble."
