PA Studies News and Updates

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Happy Retirement!

We are both happy and sad to announce the retirement of our faculty member, Thomas Diver. PA Diver served in the US Army for 22.5 years. He spent 28 years as a Physician Assistant and added Distinguished Fellow AAPA (DFAAPA) to his accomplishments. He began his adventure at the UNT Health Science Center in 2008 and was instrumental in the education of both TCOM – Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine students and UNT HSC Physician Assistant Studies students.

He was Course Director for Neurology, HEENT, Geriatrics, Clinical Skills, Urology, and Clinical integration Medicine (CIM 4), as well as being a TCOM Small group facilitator involved in Clinical Reasoning Medicine for future DO Physicians. He served as Associate Director PA Studies committed to making HSC PA students to be the best of the best. He is very proud of his part assisting UNTHSC PA students to be in the winner’s circle at the Texas Academy of Physician Assistants Challenge Bowl. UNTHSC PA students have dominated the competition, finishing first in 2019, 2018, 2017, 2015 and 2014, according to TAPA.

He states “I am so proud of my time in the PA Studies program and TCOM educating future PA’s and Doctor of Osteopathy physicians that are now touching thousands of patients in hundreds of communities in Texas and beyond.”

If you know him, you know he is also a Disney enthusiast, so we hope he gets to spend a lot of time with “the mouse” and we wish him the best of luck in his retirement.

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT!

Julia Reynolds, MPAS, PA-C

We are spotlighting PA Reynolds today. She has been part of our faculty in the UNTHSC PA program since 2013.
Hometown: Arlington, Texas — I was born in Austin, but raised in Arlington, Texas. With the exception of a few years in Breckenridge, Texas, most of my adult life has been in Arlington.
Current Role: I currently serve as the Director of Academic Education in the PA Program. I teach and serve as Course Director for the Introduction to Pharmacology and Gastroenterology courses, as well as teach/facilitate in many other courses.
What led you to your career path?
While I always have had the desire to pursue medicine, my original career was as a petroleum geologist. After graduating from UT Arlington, I did both office and field work in the petroleum industry for 17 years. Even while working as a geologist, I was fascinated with medicine and continued my interest in science/medicine by taking various science courses and the prerequisite courses for PA school in my “spare time.” Following my years as a geologist, I taught Physics/Chemistry/Biology at the secondary high school level until I reached my goal of becoming a PA, graduating from the UT Southwestern PA Program in 2006. As a practicing Physician Assistant, I worked in both Internal Medicine and Family Medicine clinics, having the added privilege to precept future PAs, NPs, and Physicians. When the opportunity arose that let me combine my teaching with medicine here at the HSC, it was the perfect fit for me.
What do you love most about your work?
I love teaching and working with students to help them achieve their dreams of becoming PAs! It is exciting to be able to contribute to their education. I feel very fortunate to be in a career that lets me combine my love of teaching with my love of medicine.
What advice do you have for PA Students?
Always believe in yourself and remember the reason that you wanted to become a PA. Continue to learn every day, to treat people with compassion, and to be the best that you can be!

Skills Practice!

Our class of 2022 students recently came to the UNT Health Science Center campus to practice some clinical skills in a very controlled environment and wearing layers of PPE. They practiced lumbar punctures and venipuncture on simulators, among other skills.

This page was last modified on January 4, 2021