Hi!  My name is Heather Walters.  I am from Bladenboro, NC, which is a one stoplight town in the southeastern part of the state.  I graduated from UNC-Pembroke in 2000 with Bachelor of Science in Biology and Chemistry.  Prior to being accepted into PA school I worked as a Medical Assistant in a Cardiac Catheterization Lab.  Good luck to all of you applying. 

Nyob Zoo (Hi), my name is Mai Vang and I am one of the only two in the class of 31 currently working towards a first undergraduate degree. I am married and I have one great kid, a five year old in kindergarten. I am originally from Michigan.  I moved to the western part, or the foothills of North Carolina back in 1993 and lived there until I played chance and came all the way out here to ECU for the PA program.  This has been one of my greatest challenges in life, and having a family makes it hard, but even more soworthwhile. Being a PA is like every other profession, only a few people can do this, or would like to do this.  My motto, and best advice to any student, working towards a PA degree or not is this: 1% inspiration, and 99% perspiration, plus a whole lot of determination.

She was the first child of Rupert and Helen Leech Potter, born July 28, 1866 in London, England. She is known today for her wonderful children's stories. Just about everyone is familiar with the tale of Peter Rabbit. During her later years she was widely respected throughout England as an expert on fungi, although the Royal Society did refuse to publish at least one of her technical papers.

From many walks in the woods she amassed a set of detailed watercolors of fungi. The collection (some 270 completed by 1901) is in the Armitt Library, Ambleside, England.

Around the time of her death in 1943 many of her notes, including her paper on spores, were burned during the bombing of London in WWII. She kept a private journal which wasn't published until 1966. The reason for this is that it was written in a code of her own invention. The code was broken by Leslie Linder, an engineer. Once the code was broken it took him seven years to decipher Beatrix Potter's journal. In the journal she details her attempts to have her theories and drawings noticed, usually to no avail.

Perhaps if Beatrix Potter hadn't been so shy and if the male scientists at the Royal Botanical Gardens hadn't been so dismissive we would not have her legacy of Peter Rabbit.

She was the first American woman to receive a degree in dentistry. She practiced in Lawrence, Kansas from 1867 - 1907.

She had wanted to be a doctor and had applied to the Eclectic Medical School in Cincinnati, which was accepting women. By the time she arrived at the school, however, they had changed the rule and were denying admission to women. At that point, she was steered into dentistry.

Hi my name is Jennifer Perkins. I call Goldsboro, NC my home after living there for over 10 years. I'm from a military family, my mother is retired Air Force. I am the youngest of the class at the ripe age of 22 years. I enjoy sports (watching and playing), music, dancing, movies, playing with my nephew, laughing, making people smile. I found out about Physician Assistant's by accident, and upon talking to Michelle about the program I was encouraged to apply. I was not accepted the first time, but I received acceptance after applying a second time. I graduated from East Carolina University in 2001 with a degree in Biology: Cell, Anatomy, and Physiology. The only advice I would have for you is this: Patience is a virtue.

She was the wife of Leon, and correspondent with Epicurus. She was called "the female Solon".

Hello, my name is Bryan Lantz.  I am 26 years old, and reside in Snow Hill, Greene County, NC.  I have been married for 4 years and am the proud father of 2 boys, Mason -7 months and Noah -2 years.  I spent 2 years at Plymouth State College in New Hampshire, obtaining my Associate Degree in Public Service, but decided to go into the Army for a few years.  I continued my education at ECU, gaining the required courses to apply to the PA program.  I also did volunteer EMS with Snow Hill and did extensive shadowing under a Family Practice PA in Snow Hill for over a year. 

    I got into the Distance Learning program partially because of lucky circumstances, but feel very fortunate to be a part of the program.  I feel one of the more rewarding portions of the program has been the relationships we have formed as peers.  We have had to become more familiar with each other than I ever expected, regardless of the distance that separate us.  I know this is one of the many things that I will be able to carry with me as I go into a career in the future.

    I have yet to make a concrete decision on what specialty I plan to go into, and hope clinical rotations will aid me in that decision.  I will most likely return to the New England area after graduation, but most definitely will practice in a rural, underserved area.

My name is Calvin Ellis.  I am 35 years old.  I am from Greenville, NC.  My wifes name is Stephanie and we have been married for 4 years.  I have two daughters, Brittany 12 yrs, and Amber 19 months.  My prior education consists of a B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Management.  After PA school I am planning on completing the Duke masters option.  Prior to PA school I was an E.M.T. for three years with the Vanceboro Rescue Squad.  I really liked delivering health care while I was an E.M.T.  In doing so, I came into contact with various practitioners daily who offered me lots of encouragement.  It didnt take long to figure out that this would be a great career for me.  Its a good field, which offers rewarding opportunities and I cant wait to become a part of it.  The distance-learning program was chosen because it allowed me the opportunity to work while attending school part time.  My future goals as a PA will most likely be family practice in the Washington area; however, Pediatrics or Orthopedics still remain possibilities.  After graduation I would love to live in the Bath, NC area, which is about 15 miles east of Washington.  As an ECU PA student the greatest reward I found was the cohesion among the distance-learning group.  Of those of you whom are thinking of applying to PA school, my advise to you is- Its tough but worth it.  Give it a try.

Hi, My name is Crystal C. Edwards.  I am 25 years old and reside in Elizabethtown, NC.

I have been happily married to my husband, Randy for 3 years. I have no children as of yet, we are planning on starting a family after P.A. school. I graduated from college as a Respiratory therapist in 1997. I have practiced as a Respiratory Therapist at a local hospital for 5 years with experience in emergency care, adult critical care, pediatrics, neonatal, and adult general care.  I always wanted to become a Physician Assistant but I was unable to move away to college after high school due to my father's extended illness.  So, I obtained an allied health degree from a local college to expose myself to the medical field and prepare for attending P.A. school in the future. Medical school may be a future possibility for me. I decided to become a distance-learning student because my father died a few months before applying to the program and I had just gotten married and bought a new house.  With all the changes going on in my life at the time, I felt the distance-learning program was in my best interest. As a PA, I will probably begin in Family Practice to obtain a broad range of experience and may then move on to specialize in OB-GYN.  I plan to reside in my local community. 

The ECU PA program offers many rewards such as the small class sizes and the faculty is always willing to help in any way.  The friends that you make along the way have also been a very rewarding aspect of the program. If you are considering the PA program, make sure you are able to put your personal life on hold for a while.  Get all of your finances in order so that the pressure of having to work a certain number of hours each week isn't a problem.  Gain emotional support from your significant other, family, friends, and co-workers because you will need it.  Most of all make sure this is something you are passionate about doing so that you will enjoy even the most trivial parts of the program.

Hello my name is Joe Byrne I am 35 years old.  I currently live in Winterville NC and am a distance learner in the PA program.  I have been married for the past five years and I have a little girl 16 months old and another on the way come June.  I am originally from Baltimore MD and ended up in the Greenville area upon relocation with a restaurant group I was working for.  I did not originally choose the DL program it chose me.  Somehow or other my application was placed in the wrong file and I was interviewed for the DL program.  As it turned out it was the perfect fit for my family and me as we discovered that my wife was pregnant the day after I was accepted to the program.

            My prior education includes a bachelors degree in Hotel Restaurant Management from JMU in Virginia.  My only previous health care experience was as an EMT with the Winterville Rescue Squad.  This experience gave me the desire to delve further into the healthcare field.  It was a huge financial gamble and personal challenge to pursue a career in the PA profession.  My plans on what and where to practice are all still wide open.  I have had previous experience in orthopedics as I shadowed two local P.A.s.  I believe that my choice of field will change many times over as I get further into the clinical aspect of the program this summer.

            I think that the ability to push myself has been the most rewarding experience thus far for me.  It takes organization and drive to get through the rough parts of this program.  I think that my piece of advice to anyone considering this program is that you will be exhilarated, overwhelmed, terrified and mostly proud of the accomplishments that you will make.

Shaunna Perez, 34 years old, from Falcon, NC

I have been married for 10 years.  I have three children, ages 16, 15, and 14.  We also do foster parenting, and usually care for two children at a time.

I have a BS degree from Methodist College with majors in Microbiology and Cell Physiology and a minor in Chemistry. Following PA school, I hope to be accepted into Duke's Masters option.

I gained most of my medical experience as an Army medic. My experiences while in the Army are what lead me in the direction of Physician Assistant.

I chose the distance learning because it fit my lifestyle, enabling me to stretch the didactic portion over a two-year time period, while continuing to work.  This lessened the hardship on my family.

I am interested in Family Practice and will continue to live in Falcon.

The most rewarding aspect of the ECU PA program has been overcoming all of the challenges that have been put before us so far.  I think being a distance learning student presents additional challenges, and it has really been exciting to see how our whole class has pulled together and helped each other through this experience.

If you are considering the PA program my recommendations are to choose your program carefully.  Be sure you know what you are getting into. 

My name is Vesna Stajkovic Francis; I am 29 years old. I am from Beograd, Yugoslavia. I have lived in Asheville, NC for the last 11 years. In March I got married, and in June we got puppy dog Sofi.

I attended Mars Hill College in Western North Carolina and received a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and Biology.  I hope to further my education and to be accepted into Dukes Masters option program.

I have worked as a Lead Chemist for Baxter Health Care Co. We produced IV solutions and Renal solutions. Our facility did a lot of research and development of the new products and I was involved in getting some products approved by FDA.  Even though my job was challenging and interesting I have always wanted to work in a medical field.

 I shadowed a FNP for a year and he influenced my decision to continue my education and apply to a PA program and follow my dreams.

I did not know about Distance Learning program until I applied to ECU.  I decided to do the Distance Learning program since it allowed me to stay in Asheville area and work part time. I would like to work in a surgical field or Family practice within the Western NC region after competition of the program.

  
If you are considering a career as a PA, I recommend you follow your dreams and not give up.  If you were not sure that this is a profession you would like, shadow some PA's in your area. Even though this is a Distance Leaning program you will develop close relationships with other students and build friendships for a lifetime.

Lee Campbell, 47 years old, from Charlotte, NC

I have been married to Carol for 28 years; two children, stepdaughter Kathy age 30, son Chris age 25. Former non-healthcare profession: Regional Marketing and Advertising Director for Audiovox Corp. and Founder of Cellular Plus, a national chain of Cellular and Electronics products.
I have an AAS degree Respiratory Care Technology and previous BS work in music.I plan to go on and get my MPAS. My prior experience consists of 1.5 years in Cardiac Stress Lab, Telemetry and Electrodiagnostics (CCT), 5 years as a Critical Care Respiratory Therapist (RRT). Certified Intraaortic Baloon Pump Technician. I decided to return to school to become a PA as I always thought I should be in healthcare, but on my first attempt, originally to be a CRNA, all the nursing schools in the areas discouraged me because I was a Male.

After selling my business in 1995, and weary of the sales and
marketing rat race I learned about the PA profession from a relative who is
a PA in Virginia. Sounded like it was what I had been looking for all my
life...so here I am.
I chose the Distance learning option over on campus although I was originally accepted in a spot in the OC program but I really loved my current job and wanted to continue working to gain further experience and I also felt it would not have the negative financial impact that two years without income.
My future goal is that I would like to stay in Pulmonology/Internal medicine. I like hospital work so the Hospitalist role would suit me well.  I would like to stay in the Charlotte area, but will move if I find the
job of my dreams.  The most rewarding of the PA program is that most of the time I feel if I know NOTHING, but when I apply some of the things I have learned at my current job I realize that I have learned something after all.
For those of you considering PA I always heard that getting into PA school was hard, but I was accepted into every school I applied to the first time, so, be ready when you apply.   Also, from friends who are previous graduates: Get experience before you go to PA school...It will help prepare your mind for all the stuff you are going to cram in there and, it will help you get a job after you graduate. All of the graduates I know that had little or no previous experience had difficulty finding their first job.