Anne Arundel Community College and University of Maryland Baltimore’s Collaborative Physician Assistant program graduated 36 students on Thursday, July 21.
This was the first graduation through the collaborative program, where all graduates qualify as candidates for a Master of Health Science degree through AACC’s partnership with UMB. Albert J. Struck, PA-C, a clinical provider with Express Care, and clinical preceptor and lecturer for AACC, gave the commencement address.
The 2016 graduates from Maryland to receive their certificate and white coat were:
Abingdon – Paula Christel Santos Mercado
Annapolis – Louis Joseph Ruland
Baltimore – Dalia Akkad Abaza, Cecille Guillermo Gumabon, Emily Claire Hallameyer, Amanda Lynn Porter and Yekaterina Schumer
Chesapeake Beach – Monica Lee King
Chevy Chase – Sarah Caroline Pickrell
Columbia – Mandy Nicole Fawcett, Leigh Sherer Mazzei and Robert Wade Williams
Edgewater – Adam Costas Catevenis
Ellicott City – Chunhua Cao
Frederick – Ashleigh Anne Auth
Gaithersburg – Achala S. Malalasekara and Yina Mo
Glenn Dale – Marie E. Oben
Huntingtown – Maria Magdalena Ready
Laurel – Rachel Han Tran
Mount Airy – Jessica Anne Vossler
Severna Park – Kimberly Elizabeth Acton and Jacob G. Siner
Silver Spring – Michelle Lynn Arey and Aaron Eli Franks Galvin
Woodbine – Christopher Michael Lewis and Brent Austin Tucker
Out-of-state graduates included: Laura Britton of Washington D.C.; Sarah Elizabeth Busse of Cincinnati, OH; Rashel Hagmayer Castelgrande of Reading, PA; Kelly Elizabeth Crum of Pittsburgh, PA; Eunice Kim Park of Santa Maria, CA; Meghan Ripley Shotwell of Sevierville, TN; Stephanie Anne Smith of Denver, CO; Tiffany Stephens of Raleigh, NC; and Jacquelyn Villagomez of Chicago, IL.
Also recognized in the ceremony were Maryland December 2015 graduates: David Alvarado of Silver Spring, Wayne Bowerman of Middle River, James Dutrow of Annapolis and Juan Liu of Ellicott City.
Award recipients were:
President’s Award: Rashel Castelgrande
Dean’s Award: Aaron Galvin
Faculty Award: Meghan Shotwell
Clinician Clinician’s Award: Sarah Busse
The Preceptor of the Year Award was presented to Angela Akinpelu, PA-C, of Prince George’s Hospital Center’s OB/GYN department.
The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant accredits the program, which offers enrollment by competitive selection to students with a bachelor’s degree or higher. Graduates provide medical care under the supervision of a licensed physician and are eligible to sit for the national certification exam. For program information, visit www.aacc.edu/physassist.
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