M.S Physician Assistant

MEET A STUDENT

Stand out as a healthcare professional who practices with integrity and compassion. Experience exceptional hands-on and faith-informed learning, strong support in a smaller cohort, and robust medical preparation in a rural setting.

Carlos Serafin Martinez '25

A Journey of Growth, Grit, and Purpose

My time in the Northwestern College Physician Assistant program has been a transformative experience—academically intense, emotionally challenging, and deeply rewarding—shaping me into a more confident, compassionate future provider ready to serve where I’m needed most.

How would you describe your Northwestern experience?
My didactic year in the Northwestern College physician assistant program was one of my life's most intense and challenging experiences. The sheer volume of information felt overwhelming, entailing anatomy, pharmacology, pathophysiology, and clinical skills that were all packed into a fast-paced curriculum. However, these experiences not only gave me valuable hands-on exposure but also deepened my passion for making a positive impact on people’s lives. It was one of those moments that reminded me why I chose this path in the first place.

How have you grown as a result of your Northwestern classes and relationships?
I have built strong relationships with my professors and classmates. Late-night study sessions, group projects, and sharing the highs and lows of exams brought us closer together. We leaned on each other for support, reminding ourselves that we were all in it together and would get through it as well.

Kali Welling '24

Faith, Family, and a Future in Medicine

From day one at Northwestern, Kali felt embraced by a supportive community that has not only shaped her academically, but also strengthened her faith and personal growth as she prepares for a fulfilling career as a Physician Assistant.

How would you describe your Northwestern experience?
Since my first day of class at NWC, I felt as if I was being welcomed into a big family. I am especially thankful for my professors that have continued to challenge and guide me along my educational path. By incorporating faith into my education and hosting weekly bible studies for our class, my NWC family has helped strengthen my faith. I have been so blessed with the wonderful friendships and professional connections that I have made with classmates and professors alike. As I wrap up my clinical year, I feel confident and look forward to the future because of the strong foundation NWC PA Program has provided.

What are your future plans?
Currently, I am on clinical rotations and have been blessed with exceptional preceptors throughout the Midwest. I have found a passion for several specialties; however, I am especially interested in Dermatology, Oncology, Women’s Health, and Pediatrics thus far. I am excited to see what the future holds.

Jake Gervais '23

Finding Purpose Through Patient Care

From Cottage Grove, Minnesota, Jake Gervais brings compassion, drive, and a deep sense of purpose to his journey as a Physician Assistant student at Northwestern College. With a background in biology from the University of Northwestern – St. Paul, Jake felt an immediate connection to the program’s supportive faculty, faith-based environment, and commitment to underserved communities. Now well into his training, he’s embracing the challenge of becoming a well-rounded, empathetic medical professional — one who not only treats illness but walks alongside patients on their path to healing.

Why did you choose Northwestern?
The program’s caring faculty, positive atmosphere, and faith-based principles won me over right from the interviewing process. After my initial interaction with the faculty/staff I knew Northwestern was a place that would not only shape me into an excellent provider but would help me grow as a person as well.

How are you growing professionally and/or personally as a result of your Northwestern classes and relationships? From the first day of classes, our faculty have emphasized that we are no longer just students, but medical professionals in training. Adopting this mindset has helped shift my focus from simply learning material for exams, to applying that knowledge and understanding the impact it will have in the lives of my future patients. Going through the highs and lows of the program has helped me grow as an individual as well, becoming more grounded in who I am, both personally and professionally.

Sonia Vasilyeva '22

Patient-Centered Care

Interested in medicine, Sonia felt called to the PA field for the flexibility in career options, specialty opportunities, and the ability to work collaboratively on a team of healthcare providers. At Northwestern, she’s gaining the medical knowledge and deepening her passion to provide patient-centered care.

Why did you choose Northwestern?
I chose Northwestern because I wanted to be part of a smaller cohort to better support my learning, but also to form stronger relationships with professors. I’m also really interested in learning medicine in a rural setting. It’s allowing me to gain more experience and insight into the full variety of healthcare needs that PA’s are truly able to provide.

How do you feel Northwestern stands out as a PA program?
I think that Northwestern stands out as a PA program because of how it incorporates faith into the curriculum. It’s very unique and special. The program prepares me for faithful service in the medical field by allowing me to freely examine how my own faith impacts my life and beliefs. This helps me to think about the kind of care I want to provide for patients and the impact I want to have from my care as well.

Accreditation

The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA) has granted Accreditation-Continued status to the Northwestern College Physician Assistant Program sponsored by Northwestern College. Accreditation-Continued is an accreditation status granted when a currently accredited program is in compliance with the ARC-PA Standards. Accreditation remains in effect until the program closes or withdraws from the accreditation process or until accreditation is withdrawn for failure to comply with the Standards.

The approximate date for the next validation review of the program by the ARC-PA will be September 2034. The review date is contingent upon continued compliance with the Accreditation Standards and ARC-PA policy.

The program’s accreditation history can be viewed on the ARC-PA website at https://www.arc-pa.org/accreditation-history-northwestern-college/.

Accreditation

The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA) has granted Accreditation-Continued status to the Northwestern College Physician Assistant Program sponsored by Northwestern College. Accreditation-Continued is an accreditation status granted when a currently accredited program is in compliance with the ARC-PA Standards. Accreditation remains in effect until the program closes or withdraws from the accreditation process or until accreditation is withdrawn for failure to comply with the Standards.

The approximate date for the next validation review of the program by the ARC-PA will be September 2034. The review date is contingent upon continued compliance with the Accreditation Standards and ARC-PA policy.

The program’s accreditation history can be viewed on the ARC-PA website at https://www.arc-pa.org/accreditation-history-northwestern-college/.

Accreditation

The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA) has granted Accreditation-Continued status to the Northwestern College Physician Assistant Program sponsored by Northwestern College. Accreditation-Continued is an accreditation status granted when a currently accredited program is in compliance with the ARC-PA Standards. Accreditation remains in effect until the program closes or withdraws from the accreditation process or until accreditation is withdrawn for failure to comply with the Standards.

The approximate date for the next validation review of the program by the ARC-PA will be September 2034. The review date is contingent upon continued compliance with the Accreditation Standards and ARC-PA policy.

The program’s accreditation history can be viewed on the ARC-PA website at https://www.arc-pa.org/accreditation-history-northwestern-college/.