RCSI is leading the way in developing the career role of Physician Associate in Ireland. Professor David Kuhns has been the key consultant for us from the US over a number of years as we developed our programme. He brought valuable experience from his role at Wake Forest University (North Carolina) and from start-up experiences with early UK programmes at the University of Birmingham and University of Aberdeen. Pictured (l-r) is Prof Hannah McGee, Prof David Kuhns, Professors Rita Rienzo (Yale University PA programme), Professor James Paul O’Neill, Alexandria Garino (Yale University PA programme), Dr Pauline Joyce and Prof Arnold Hill.
David has been instrumental in helping to move forward the Physician Associate profession in Ireland in his role as Programme Director for the MSc in Physician Associate Studies in the RCSI. He formally joined RCSI as its Foundation PA Course Director in mid-2015 and our programme commenced with a first intake of students in January 2016. Our students benefit from David’s expertise and knowledge of the role globally. David will leave RCSI later this month to return to the US for family reasons. We wish David every success on his return to the US and we look forward to maintaining our connections with him as we advance our PA career developments in the future.