Vets join physician assistant program

Although UNC Hospitals’ new physician assistant program doesn’t exclusively accept veterans, it has a specific focus on providing a civil education to those who have served in the military.

The hospitals highlighted the UNC physician assistant program, which will launch in January 2016, at the hospitals’ annual Veterans Day celebration Tuesday.

Richard Cowan, who will be starting in the physician assistant program next year, was one of four veterans who spoke at the event. He said he wanted to get a medical education outside the military.

“I served about 10 years, but it got to the point where I wanted to go a different route with my medical career,” Cowan said.

“I was a medic, so I learned a lot of medical skills — that will hopefully transfer over to what I’m doing here — and a lot of other intangible skills including teamwork and leadership.”

Cowan said his love for his country fueled his interest for joining the military.

“I went into the military around 2004,” Cowan said. “9/11 was a big part of that reason, and I wanted to serve before that, and it felt like a good time for me to join.”

Cowan said there is a difference between civilian and military education.

“In the military, education is a lot faster paced, whereas in civilian education you have more time to study, and there is not as much pressure to memorize and use those skills immediately,” Cowan said.

John Carr, another veteran attending the program next year, said he joined the military to do something different.

“I have a degree in chemistry and a minor in criminal justice, and I wanted to do something exciting,” Carr said.

“I wanted to be in the medical profession, and I had to go back to medical school, but the army said they would train me in 16 weeks to be a combat medic, so I did that.”

Carr said the career opportunities are different between civilian and military jobs.

“In the military, it’s nearly guaranteed you have a job,” Carr said. “On the civilian side, it’s not necessarily guaranteed you will get a job.”

Dr. Paul Chelminski, division director of the physician assistant program and professor of medicine, said the application process for the program was selective.

“We have selected our first class of 20, and out of those 20, nine are veterans, and several of them were special forces and special operations medics,” Chelminski said.

“We had about 1,800 applicants; 900 were completed. We asked the 60 top candidates to come and be interviewed, and out of those 60, we accepted 20.”

Chelminski said this program is important to help give a more well-rounded education to veterans.

“The special forces medic is a special brand of soldier and medical professional,” Chelminski said.

“They have tremendous skills as diplomats and medical professionals, but when they return to the United States, they are unable to apply what they have known.”

Chelminski said he is thrilled for the program to begin in 2016.

“UNC PA is no longer hypothetical — it is a reality,” Chelminski said.

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