The Wake Forest University School of Medicine Department of PA Studies celebrated its inaugural Doctor of Medical Science (DMSc) graduating class at its annual Hooding and Commencement Ceremony on May 15, 2026, at Wait Chapel.
Watch highlights from the celebration below or watch the full ceremony livestream on YouTube. Find a list of graduates and speakers in the commencement program at go.wfu.edu/pa-hooding-2026.
The DMSc is an online degree program designed for practicing PAs. The program emphasizes doctoral-level scholarship, leadership development, and meaningful professional impact. All graduates complete a capstone project that addresses a challenge or improves a process in the healthcare system.
The inaugural DMSc class researched and analyzed a wide range of topics, as demonstrated by the titles of their final capstone manuscripts listed below. Read more about their experiences in this feature story, “Online Doctoral Program for PAs Bridges Healthcare Research and Leadership.”
| Benjamin William Cartner, Kernersville, NC Stacy Schmauss, EdD, Project Advisor Capstone Project: Understanding the Relationships Between Burnout, Fulfillment and Outcome Orientation for Advanced Practice Providers in Emergency and Urgent Care Settings |
| Alisha Tomlinson DeTroye, Clemmons, NC Chris Gillette, PhD, Project Advisor Capstone Project: Perceptions and Outcomes of a Hospital Medicine (HM) Advanced Practice Provider (APP)-Led Care Model: A Qualitative Study |
| Peter Guertin, Davidson, NC Kelly R. Conner, PhD, MMS, PA-C, Project Advisor Capstone Project: Structured Onboarding Feasibility in Community EDs |
| Kelsey Ford Kehrli, Greensboro, NC Natalie Smith, DMSc, MS, PA-C, Project Advisor Capstone Project: Team-Based Learning Versus Lecture-Based Instruction for Chest Radiograph Interpretation in Physician Associate Education: A Quasi-Experimental Study |
| Sloan Warren Kelly, Stanton, TX Sam Pendergraft, PhD, PA-C, Capstone Project Advisor Capstone Project: Addressing the Triage Training Gap: Effects of Brief SALT Training on Triage Accuracy Among Non-Medical Military Personnel |
| Hannah Muthersbaugh, Summerfield, NC MMS Chris Gillette, PhD, Project Advisor Capstone Project: Factors Influencing Low-Acuity Emergency Medical Services Use: An Observational Study Guided by the Andersen Behavioral Model |
| Ashley Green Nordan, Benson, NC MHPE, MSCR, MPAP, Campbell University Gayle B. Bodner, DHSc, MMS, PA-C, Project Advisor Capstone Project: Determinants of Collaborative Physician-PA Teams in Ambulatory Care: A Qualitative Study |
| Kimberly Stabingas, Apex, NC Stefanie Rachis, EdD, Project Advisor Capstone Project: Motivators and Barriers to PA Preceptorship in North Carolina |
The first Wake Forest DMSc graduates pose with program faculty and advisers after the Department of PA Studies commencement ceremony on May 15.