Moves and Milestones

J. Dennis Blessing, PhD, PA-C, formerly director of the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA) PA Program, developed and received two HRSA training grants to expand student learning opportunities in educationally and medically underserved areas. In recognition, and because of what his dean referred to as his "past commitment to academics in South Texas," Blessing was named associate dean at UTHSCSA for South Texas Programs. Among other duties, he will be responsible for

• Establishing an agreement with Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) to offer a joint master’s degree program in physician assistant studies.
• Assisting in the development of a master of science degree in dietetics to be offered jointly with TAMIU.
• Establishing exemplary multidisciplinary community-based experiences for students in South Texas in conjunction with other departments and schools.

Scott Massey, PhD, PA-C, recently moved from his longtime post at Kettering College of Medical Arts PA Program in Ohio to become director of the PA program at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS)–Manchester, New Hampshire. He can be reached at Scott.Massey@mcphs.edu.

Michael (Rocky) Rackover, PA-C, MS, program director at Philadelphia University PA Program, is on sabbatical until early January 2007. He is spending his time at the NIH National Human Genome Research Institute. His primary goal will be to identify and implement projects that enhance integration of medical genetics and genomics into physician assistant education and clinical practice. Colleagues who wish to reach him can
e-mail him at rackoverm@mail.nih.gov.

Rosann Ippolito, program director of Northeastern University PA Program in Boston, was recently awarded her PhD. Donald Wexler, MD, longtime medical director for the Northeastern program, has transitioned to the position of clinical coordinator. He will be continuing to visit students at their clinical rotations. All correspondence should be mailed to

Donald Wexler, MD
3 Concord Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138

The program's new medical director is Robin Reed, MD. Her e-mail address is r.reed@neu.edu.

Do you have news you'd like to share with other faculty members?

PAEA Networker's Moves and Milestones is designed to help keep members informed about their colleagues’ activities. The column features information on faculty moves and promotions and on significant changes and achievements at member programs. Examples are faculty moving to new positions within the program or elsewhere, grants received, articles or books published, a new track or satellite campus established. We also welcome curricular innovations that may not have the research basis for peer-reviewed publication but that would be of anecdotal interest to PA faculty.

If you have news you would like to share, please send it to Eileen Evans, PAEA Networker managing editor, at eevans@PAEAonline.org; (703) 548-5538, ext. 307. News must be received by the 20th of the month for inclusion in the following month’s issue.