The Wake Forest University School of Medicine Department of PA Studies welcomed Natalie Smith, DMSc, PA-C, as the first program director for the Doctor of Medical Science (DMSc) program in November 2023.
With a rich background in emergency and urgent care medicine and over a decade of experience in PA education, Smith is well-equipped to lead this new program. Her qualifications as a practicing PA are matched only by her passion for teaching.
“She has a drive to make the program unique among existing offerings, particularly through a meaningful and engaging experience for the learners,” said Caroline Grey Bell Sisson, Vice Chair for the Department of PA Studies. “She is dedicated to optimizing the learner experience without compromise in the remote learning environment.”
Smith said she sees the new DMSc as a catalyst for empowering PAs to take on leadership roles and address the challenges within health care. Her vision for the program is to provide PAs with the skills and knowledge necessary to drive positive change in various health care sectors.
“I want PAs to have a seat at the leadership table in these different health care sectors,” she said. “PAs offer a unique perspective on the health care system, and having a formalized role in leadership can help create positive change. I believe that we're elevating the profession, and ultimately my goal is to impact patients' lives and communities that will be influenced by these changes.
Smith has been a practicing PA since 2009, spending most of her career in emergency and urgent care. She said she enjoys being on the front line of health care. “We’re often the first point of care for patients,” she said. “This gives us a comprehensive understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of our system.”
Prior to joining Wake Forest, Smith spent 11 years in PA education at East Carolina University where she developed the program’s first online and hybrid coursework. “Creating engaging online curricula is essential for a 100-percent online program like our DMSc,” Smith said. “I’m excited to use my skillset to provide our students with a top-tier educational experience that is still flexible enough to enable them to balance this commitment with all their other responsibilities.”
Smith said she is also looking forward to working with and getting to know the DMSc students. The program’s smaller cohort sizes will give her and the other faculty an opportunity to build a close-knit community. “In a program like this, we can help each student achieve their personal goals and accelerate their professional trajectory.”
Although she is now a full-time PA educator for Wake Forest, Smith has not lost her passion for clinical care. “I still pick up shifts on the weekends,” she said.
A resident of Wilson, N.C., Smith balances her busy professional schedule with an equally busy personal life. She and her husband, Steve, enjoy spending time with their three sons. She has a passion for hobby farming, raising chickens and ducks, and is a proud beekeeper, managing over 200,000 bees in her hives.