In recognition of National Physician Assistant (PA) Week, Maine Governor John Baldacci presented a proclamation honoring the University of New England (UNE) PA program to students, faculty, and a representative of the DownEast Association of PAs.

PAs play an important role in Maine’s health care and UNE is the only PA program in the state.

During the week of October 6 to 12, PAs across the United States celebrate National PA Week, and scenes like this are likely to be playing out in many states as PA programs receive the recognition of local and national leaders. PA students in particular typically engage in activities during the first week of October that benefit the residents of their local communities.

J. "Glenn" Forister, MPAS, MS, PA-C, recently accepted a position at the PA program at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. He will be serving as the program's research coordinator. Forister will coordinate students' graduate projects and be responsible for classroom and small group teaching.

Forister spent six years as a faculty member at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and was a 2007 recipient of that University’s Presidential Teaching Excellence Award. He has strong record of PA related research and publications and recently completed a master of science degree in clinical research. Forister can be reached at glenn.forister@utsouthwestern.edu.

Justine Strand, PAEA president elect and chief of the Duke PA Division in the Department of Community and Family Medicine, has earned the doctor of public health degree in health policy and management from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Research for her dissertation, “Enabling Legislation for Physician Assistants in Puerto Rico: A Sociocultural Policy Analysis,” was supported by the Breitman-Dorn Endowed Research Fellowship of the Physician Assistant Foundation.

Jennifer Hixon, DHSc, PA-C, recently accepted the position of associate dean of the School of PA Studies at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in Boston. Hixon was formerly program director for the Springfield College PA Program in Springfield, Massachusetts. She received her doctor of health science degree from Nova Southeastern University in Florida. As associate dean, Hixon will oversee the School of Physician Assistant Studies and retains a faculty appointment as associate professor in the PA program. She can be reached at jennifer.hixon@mcphs.edu.