Physician Assistant Student Earns Advocacy Scholarship
Eryka Bradley receives recognition for her involvement in the PA community
Sacred Heart University graduate student Eryka Bradley has received $2,500 as this year’s recipient of the Master of Physician Assistant Program Advocacy Scholarship.
The scholarship is for students in the physician assistant (PA) program who demonstrate a commitment to PA advocacy by participating in local or national organizations in either a leadership or otherwise active role. Additionally, the recipient must be a current student member of the Connecticut Academy of Physician Assistants and the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA). The student must have completed at least one trimester of coursework and be in good academic standing within the program and university.
Bradley served a term as the first director of diversity and outreach on the AAPA’s student board of directors this past year. In this role, she was the direct line of support for the profession and an advocate for the organizations that work with the AAPA and its communities.
Bradley moved to Stamford from Pennsylvania to attend Sacred Heart’s PA program and is entering the clinical phase of her education. “Learning medicine in 2.5 years is not for the faint of heart. My journey through PA school has been challenging, but very rewarding,” she said.
“SHU was actually my first interview invite and my first acceptance for PA school. I knew there was something special about this school after attending the open house in the fall of 2018. I felt more comfortable at SHU compared to the other programs where I interviewed, so accepting its offer was an easy decision.”
“Our program’s mission and core values include diversity, excellence and compassion, with a focus on educating PA students to work in primary care medicine. Eryka Bradley encompasses this mission through her service, work ethic and leadership,” said Adam Olsen, department chair and director of SHU's master of physician assistant program. “She recognizes disparities in health care and has worked to educate herself and her colleagues on ways to address these disparities.”
“We are so proud of Eryka for bringing diversity issues to the forefront of clinical practice, community engagement and education,” said Maura Iversen, dean of the College of Health Professions. “She is an exceptional young woman.”
To learn more, visit the PA program website.