On December 3, 2022, PA Studies held their annual White Coat Ceremony for the Class of 2022 (short coat). Students and faculty gathered in Memorial Hall to celebrate the ending of their didactic year and the beginning of their clinical year. During the ceremony graduate students, Katelyn Dykhuis ’23 and Spencer Scobie-Gilpin ’23 were announced as the 2022 recipients of the prestigious Jon and Keith Dyer Fellowship Awards.

Jon Dyer’s passion for advancing the future of medical care giving is based on his experience caring for his late brother Keith, who had cerebral palsy. Read his personal story here.  His generosity will offset a portion of the awardees’ second-year tuition.

Katelyn Dykhuis and PA Chair Michael Burney, EdD, PA-C

The PA faculty selected Katelyn and Spencer based on three criteria:  outstanding academic performance during the didactic year of the PA program, emerging potential as a clinician, and leadership and/or volunteerism. Both students were thrilled to be selected for this honor.

Katelyn was selected by her classmates as the Outreach Chair. She has been instrumental in organizing and volunteering at community events, such as Special Olympics MedFest sports physicals and more.

Spencer was nominated by his peers to be the first year class representative on CAPA Challenge Bowl team, which won first place at the event last October. The CAPA Challenge Bowl team (Spencer Scobie-Gilpin, Courtnie Ly, and Sophia Bilboa), competed against 13 California PA programs. The students earned an overwhelming victory and won the California state championship, going against the University of the Pacific and Point Loma Nazarene University in the finals. He is on the team of second year students competing for the first time in the AAPA Challenge Bowl in May. 

Spencer Scobie-Gilpin and PA Chair Michael Burney, EdD, PA-C

Most PA grad students will tell you that didactic year requires extreme discipline and laser focus to be successful. Enormous amounts of studying vital information must be committed to memory in a very short amount of time.

We congratulate both students on this incredible accomplishment and thank the Dyer Family for their generous contributions to Crean College.