Where are they now? The first class of Harding physician assistants

THE UNIVERSITY’S PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT PROGRAM celebrated July 14-15, 2017, as they reached a 10-year milestone in their program’s history. Alumni from the 2007 graduating class came to campus to celebrate with family and friends. Harding established the first PA program in Arkansas in 2005, which makes this group of 16 alumni the first-ever class of PA graduates in the state. Here’s what that first class is up to today.

LAURA ALLEN Meridian, Idaho 10 years in dermatology; currently at Adawest Dermatology

SHEA ARNOLD Bentonville, Arkansas Three years as a hospitalist physician assistant; currently works in gastroenterology at Mercy Clinic Gastroenterology

STEPHANIE BARNES Sherwood, Arkansas Psychiatric and emergency medicine; currently at St. Vincent emergency room

CHRIS CASEY Little Rock, Arkansas Orthopedic surgery; currently in medical school at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

AMANDA DILES Searcy 10 years in family practice with urgent care; currently at PrimeCare Medical Clinic; teaches in the University physician assistant program and is vice president for the Arkansas Academy of Physician Assistants

SARAH KATE EPPERSON Midland, Texas Two years in cardiology then full-time medical missions on the Ship of Life in Cambodia; currently a stay-at-home mom hoping to return to medical missions some day

LANCE KEMPER Searcy 10 years in orthopaedics; currently at OneLife Wellness Center

JAMIE LANDRETH Benton, Arkansas Currently at Arkansas Cardiovascular Surgery at Arkansas Children’s Hospital

MARY MADILL Searcy 10 years in family practice; currently at Duke Medical Clinic; academic director in the University physician assistant program

NICOLE MOUNT Searcy Prison medicine then five years in rheumatology then family practice; currently at Duke Medical Clinic; teaches in the University physician assistant program

ARON NIGH Mansfield, Texas Worked in both family practice and urgent care; currently at Integra Urgent Care

DAVID PANBOON San Antonia, Texas Currently an Air Force physician assistant

AARON POTEAT Garfield, Arkansas Four years as a hospitalist physician assistant and then in the ER; currently works at Mercy ER

MICHELLE VESS Queen City, Texas Has worked in pediatrics, urgent care, emergency medicine, family practice, and mental health; currently works in mental health at Community Healthcore

JONNA WEBB Clarksville, Arkansas 10 years in dermatology; currently at Styles Dermatology

MICHELLE WINGO Wynne, Arkansas Two years in orthopaedic surgery then moved to prison medicine; currently with the Federal Bureau of Prisons