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Wheeling Hospital has established a new opportunity for students enrolled in the physician assistant program at West Liberty University by offering two scholarships.
These awards were presented for the first time this summer to second-year students Jillian Laslo and Jon-Michael Brunner.
"We are grateful to Wheeling Hospital and its chief medical officer, Dr. Angelo Georges, for creating this opportunity for our students. The award offers much more than scholarship funds, it provides a meaningful career opportunity," said Bill Childers, who leads the PA program at West Liberty.
The scholarship covers in-state tuition for the second year and includes an opportunity for each student to work at Wheeling Hospital after graduation for a period of two years.
Laslo, of Shadyside, earned a biology degree from West Liberty in 2016 and began her undergraduate degree as a pre-med major. It was during her sophomore year that she discovered she wanted to become a physician assistant.
"My interest in becoming a physician assistant was sparked through personal experience and watching family interaction with health care providers. I always appreciated what the PAs did for their patients, spending more time with them and communicating complex information in a simple and concise way," Laslo said. "With my passion for science and human interaction, I knew that I would enjoy the patient interaction. I am so grateful to Wheeling Hospital for this scholarship and career opportunity."
Brunner, of Wheeling, earned his bachelor's degree in exercise physiology at West Liberty. It was around commencement time that he decided to apply to PA school.
"Orthopedics and pediatrics are my interest at the moment. The combination of a small class size, knowledgeable faculty, and welcoming community all make this a special program," Brunner said. "The Wheeling Hospital award is a great scholarship for me. I get to stay close to home when I graduate and give back to some of the people that helped me along the way."
The PA program at West Liberty began in summer 2012 and offers students a two-year, year-round program of study housed at the Campbell Hall of Health Sciences.