Kara Terry of Peterstown graduated from Marietta College’s Physician Assistant Studies Program during a ceremony in the Dyson Baudo Recreation Center on July 16. In all, 36 students were part of the 13th graduating class that completed the 26-month program. The Physician’s Assistant Program began in 2002 after receiving a grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). The master’s program is designed to help meet the need for qualified health care providers, by choosing individuals who have the academic, clinical, and interpersonal aptitudes necessary for education as physician assistants. The program is broken into two phases - didactic and clinical. The didactic phase begins with classroom and lab experiences in the basic medical sciences and clinical medicine. It is scheduled for the first 12 months. The clinical phase, which includes the capstone project, is designed to provide instruction in the clinical setting by physicians and PA preceptors. It is scheduled for the final 14 months. Students who wish to enter the program must have already obtained a bachelor’s degree, having earned a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in all prerequisites and their GRE scores. <a href="https://mountainmedianews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2016/07/Kara-Terry.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-20461" alt="Kara Terry" src="https://mountainmedianews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2016/07/Kara-Terry-240x300.jpg" width="240" height="300" /></a>
