Each year, PA students are selected to participate in this exciting year-long fellowship, designed to explore foundations in teaching, expose students to the current educational environment, and expand professional development and leadership opportunities.
Overview
The students have access to a network of mentors and educators, the Future Educator Development Steering Committee, which curates an intentional and impactful educational experience for the fellows.
Selected applicants will kick off the fellowship by attending the annual PAEA Education Forum. After the Forum, Fellows will engage in a year-long virtual experience, working through educational programming to develop foundational and functional educator competencies and demonstrate their learning through modules, teach-backs, and scholarly presentations. Fellows will also be invited back for a culminating session at the following Education Forum.
The application cycle for the 2026 Future Educator Fellowship will open on May 4 and close on July 7 at 11:59 p.m.
Hear From Past Future Educator Fellows
Objectives
The Future Educator Fellowship is designed to enhance PA students’ understanding of the components needed to be a successful PA educator. The fellowship is aligned closely with the PA Educator Competencies to create an initial pathway for educators to begin skill development that allows for professional development throughout one’s career. By the end of the Fellowship, Fellows will understand the elements of the PA Educator Competencies, develop skills within the Foundational PA Educator Competencies, and develop skills within the Functional PA Educator Competencies.
Foundational Educator Competencies
Fellows will develop their skills in teaching, learner-centeredness, interpersonal and communication skills, and professionalism and role-modeling.
Functional Educator Competencies
Fellows will develop their skills in scholarship development and leadership.
Leadership and Professional Development
Fellows will have opportunities for interprofessional education and research, develop strategies for collaboration with peers and professionals to enhance the quality and design of PA education.
Engagement
The FEF begins by convening students at the PAEA Education Forum to kick off their fellowship experience with the Future Educator Symposium. After the Forum, students are expected to participate in online learning modules, discussions, and planned activities that will continue to enhance their skill set and expose them to a career path in PA education.
We recognize that the life of a PA student is busy with conflicting priorities. Please note that while this fellowship is highly competitive, it is not designed to compete with your first priority as a PA student. Nonetheless, students must commit to the learning experience and the activities required to complete the fellowship.
Sample activities include:
- Monthly Group Check-Ins (via Zoom)
- Brief Assignments/Prework
- Webinars with Invited Speakers
- Engagement in Microsoft Teams
- Completion of Evaluations
2025–2026 Future Educator Fellows
| Cailin Eby, Baylor College of Medicine |
| Luke Guonjian-Petit, George Washington University |
| Taieba Khan, University of Pittsburgh – Hybrid |
| Veronica Lugtu, Sacred Heart University |
| Jada Mack, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences |
| Marissa Mattys, Duke University |
| Victoria Pallares, University of Utah |
| Alicia Pratt, Samuel Merritt University |
| Farrah Shidid, Canisius College |
| Sapna Thaker, Baldwin Wallace University |
| Lorelei Thompson, DeSales University |
| Valentina Virion, University of Pittsburgh |
| Ella Wagner, Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences |
| Katilyn Williams, Meharry Medical College |
| Sejean Yang, Yale Physician Associate Program |
| Dana Bernhard, University of Pittsburgh |
| Isaac Chang, Yale University Physician Assistant Online Program |
| Brianna Hampton, University of Alabama at Birmingham |
| Yoolim Jung, Tufts University |
| Brianna Kraft, University of Washington MEDEX |
| Randolph Mellone, South University – West Palm Beach |
| Olivia Miller, University of Pittsburgh |
| Jay Minton, College of St. Scholastica |
| Mariauna Moss Gapcynski, Duke University |
| Anita Samadabadi, Duke University |
| Kaylani Tam, Oregon Health and Science University |
| Nathan Thimas, Duke University |
| Minh Tran, MCPHS University |
| Noah Vasquez, University of Iowa |
| Adam Weber, College of St. Scholastica |
| Abbey Barton, University of Utah |
| Jordan Beckley, Ithaca College |
| Miranda Huntley, Northeastern University |
| Mallory Cain, Campbell University |
| Amana Khokhar, Shenandoah University |
| Sally Klinner, University of Pittsburgh – Hybrid Program |
| Shivani Kondagunta, Wayne State University |
| Carman Ly, Yale University Physician Assistant Online Program |
| Amber Major, Emory & Henry College |
| Casey McGarraugh, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport |
| Jade Norman, Meharry Medical College |
| McKenna Schindler, Keck Graduate Institute |
| Emily Shauf, University of Mount Union |
| Ada Spahija, Emory University |
| Tatum Turetzky, George Washington University |
| Hamza Ahmed, Wingate University |
| Katherine Bullock, Duke University Medical Center |
| Madison Carroll, Marist College |
| Abby Cook, University of Alabama at Birmingham |
| Emily DesMeules, University of Utah |
| Bryan Fleischman, Emory University |
| Christopher Heck, University of Iowa |
| Yiting Huang, University of Pittsburgh |
| Katelyn Mokros, Kettering College |
| Audrey Oweimrin, Yale University Physician Associate Program |
| Ted Parker, University of Washington – Seattle |
| Austin Parrish, University of Dayton |
| Elliot Yamin, University of Southern California (LA) |
| Laura Zdiarski-Horodyski, University of Utah |
| Nicole Billen, Saint Louis University |
| Victoria Britt, Wake Forest University (Bowman Gray) |
| Kathryn Burrows, Duke University Medical Center |
| Miya Chipka, Eastern Michigan University |
| Beverly DiCorso, Emory University |
| Muhammad Jan, University of Alabama at Birmingham |
| Sarah Kirsch, Yale University Physician Assistant Online Program |
| Thuy Dung Nguyen, University of California – Davis |
| Danielle Paciulli, AdventHealth University |
| Tiffany Passie, MGH Institute of Health Professions |
| Robert (Desi) Rotenberg, South University – Richmond |
| Julie Staton, University of South Alabama |
| Edith Teng, George Washington University |
| Chelsea Waldrop, Yale University Physician Assistant Online Program |
| Teanna DaPonte, South University – Tampa |
| Danielle Polevoi, Stanford University |
| Alisha Zaveri, Thomas Jefferson University – East Falls |
| Aubrey Fiacco, MGH Institute of Health Professions |
| Joshua Montgomery, Shenandoah University |
| Sara Naeem, Wagner College |
| Aliyah Mangrum, University of Pittsburgh |
| Ekaterina Lundberg, University of Kentucky |
| Katherine Crandall, University of Southern California |
| Alexandria Lahdya, University of Washington MEDEX Northwest |
| Diana De La Cruz, Oklahoma City University |
| Amber Rohrberg, University of Alabama at Birmingham |
| Denise Kirby, Idaho State University |
| Sara Haroon, Barry University |
| Yenling Yang Hernandez, Touro University – California |
| Kathryn Fossaceca, DeSales University |
| Caitlin Bradley, East Carolina University |
| Alicia Duval, Mercer University |
| Matthew Morrow, Northwestern University |
| Elizabeth Eiseman, University of Dubuque |
| Elizabeth Dingbaum, Chapman University |
| Katya Saenz, University of Colorado – Denver |
| Hwal Lee, Jefferson College of Health Sciences |
| Michael Farran-Brown, University of Kentucky |
| Jessica Veale, Duke University |
| Sara Dover, Mercer University |
| Sunayana Pydah, University of Lynchburg |
| Victoria McQuade, Florida Gulf Coast University |
| Dennis Zelenak, University of Evansville |
| Nicolette LaRosa, Drexel University |
| Winnie Chau, Texas Tech University Health Science Center |
| Erin Dorman, University of Alabama at Birmingham |
| Emily Durocher, Penn State University |
| Isidro Figueroa, Texas Tech University Health Science Center |
| Dustin Grossheim, Tufts University |
| Katherine Jamieson, Northeastern University |
| Jennifer Jones, University of Iowa |
| Sarah Kingston, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences |
| Melanie Lyon, Alderson-Broaddus University |
| Ryan Minier, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science |
| Krista Patefield, Union College |
| Christopher Perkins, UT Southwestern |
| Jeremiah Powers, East Carolina University |
| Dave Rogers, University of Missouri – Kansas City |
| Lauren Tandarich, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine |
| Alvis Trent, Hardin-Simmons University |
Application Process
Please be sure to not include any identifying information such as PA program/graduation year, email, phone number, etc when completing the application.
- Short Essays: Applicants will provide written responses to 7 prompts in 125 words or less.
- Program Director Certification Form: This document is signed by your program director and confirms your ability to participate in the fellowship and your continued good standing.
- Faculty Mentor Form: This document is signed by a faculty mentor who you identify to help support your interest in PA education.
- FEF Commitment Form: You must read and sign this form to acknowledge that you recognize the time commitment and effort required by the Future Educator Fellowship and that you understand the requirements for completion of the Fellowship.
- Acknowledgement of PAEA Privacy Policy: Applicants must read and agree to the terms of the PAEA Privacy Policy.
Once you complete and finalize your application, the forms will be automatically sent to your program director and faculty mentor.
Your application is not complete until all forms are received!
As part of our commitment to fostering a well-rounded cohort in the Future Educator Fellowship, we consider a range of factors in our selection process and aim to ensure broad representation of our member programs. Our goal is to establish a group of Future Educator Fellows who enhance the future of PA education. With this in mind, applicants may be evaluated on the following:
- Essay responses which clearly describe and demonstrate understanding of FEF’s mission and objectives
- Demographic questions such as state of residence or military/Veteran status
Fellowship applicants are required to meet all of the following criteria:
- You must complete the section of the application titled, “Acknowledgement of PAEA Privacy Policy,” in order to move their application forward for consideration.
- You must be a current PA student enrolled in a PAEA member program. You must be in good standing and remain in good standing.
- Your program director must complete the certification form and agree that you can be released from classes or rotations in order to attend the fellowship.
- If you are selected as a fellow, your program director and faculty mentor must sign off quarterly (via form) attesting to current standing.
- If you are selected as a fellow, you are expected to attend the PAEA Education Forum in October 2026, October 2027, and participate in all fellowship activities.
Only one Fellow per institution will be accepted this year.
- May 4, 2026 – Applications for the 2026-27 fellowship cycle will open
- July 7, 2026 – Applications for the 2026-27 fellowship cycle will close
- Late August – 2026-2027 Fellows will be announced
- October 8-11, 2026 – PAEA Education Forum / Future Educator Symposium
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you are still eligible if you graduate before the end of the fellowship. However, you must start the fellowship as a current PA student (didactic or clinical) and you must remain in good standing throughout your time as a student.
There is no application fee. PAEA will cover all expenses associated with the fellowship for the selected applicants.
The fellowship is not designed to compete with your first priority as a PA student. Nonetheless, students must commit to the learning experience and the activities required to complete the fellowship. At most, we might anticipate a few hours a month which might include a group discussion via Zoom.
The faculty mentor is intended to be an additional advisor, apart from the educators on the PAEA Future Educator Development Steering Committee, to support your interest in PA education by answering questions and bouncing ideas off of, etc. The mentor would have regular check-ins with the Fellow to ensure they are on-track, and help them with their capstone project, if necessary.
Once you complete and finalize your application, the form will be automatically sent to your program director and faculty mentor.
The Faculty Mentor and the Program Director certification forms require only their names and emails to confirm their support for your participation in the Future Educator Fellowship program. No formal letter of recommendation is required. If you are accepted into the fellowship, they will need to confirm your good standing quarterly.