About

Thank you for your interest in the UNC-Chapel Hill Physician Assistant program. Our program has gained attention across North Carolina and the nation for its mission to expand access to care and its commitment to recruiting veterans with military health experience. Its creation reflects the problem-solving spirit of our state and its institutions.

After World War II, UNC-Chapel Hill played a key role in addressing urgent health needs. In the 1950s, the four-year medical school and UNC Memorial Hospital were established in response to the fact that North Carolinians were more likely than others to be excused from military duty for medical reasons—an indicator of poor health outcomes across the state. Determined to change this, the people of North Carolina and their representatives acted. In the 1970s, the UNC School of Medicine helped launch the Area Health Education Center (AHEC) system, decentralizing medical education and expanding care to rural and underserved areas. Yet by the end of the 2000s, significant gaps in access remained. At the same time, veterans with medical training were recognized as an untapped talent pool. In response, UNC-Chapel Hill developed the Physician Assistant program to meet these needs and open new civilian pathways for veterans.

Planning began in 2009 through a partnership with the Joint Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg. The program envisioned a way for Army Special Forces Medical Sergeants to translate their expertise into civilian practice. Momentum grew in 2012 with a $1.2 million commitment from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, followed in 2015 by a $1 million gift from the William R. Kenan Jr. Charitable Trust for rural health initiatives, scholarships, and veteran support. The program received approval from the UNC Board of Governors in February 2015 and accreditation later that year, enrolling its first class in January 2016. The inaugural class of 20 students included nine veterans, many of whom pursued non-traditional paths to health care—a trait also reflected in our faculty.

The UNC-Chapel Hill Physician Assistant program is the result of an extraordinary public, private, and military partnership. We are deeply grateful to our partners for their vision and support. The program reflects UNC-Chapel Hill’s mission of service and its leadership in addressing North Carolina’s most pressing challenges. Collaboration and a commitment to excellence will remain the hallmarks of preparing providers to strengthen the health and well-being of our citizens.