The Marquette University PA Program would like to extend its gratitude to Dr. Paul Coogan, MD, for his 28 years of service to the program. Effective January 31st, 2025, Dr. Coogan will be stepping down from his role.
Dr. Coogan has been the sole medical director for the program since its inception in 1997 when it welcomed its first class, which graduated in 1999. Since then, with his help, the program has expanded not only in depth and breadth but in its status in becoming one of the top-ranked PA programs in the nation.
Dr. Coogan also advocated for and led the development of the Marquette-Advocate Aurora postgraduate emergency medicine program into the success it has become. These actions have expanded employment and leadership opportunities for many of our graduates and has benefited the program directly through many becoming instructional faculty for the program, further sharing their knowledge with PA students.
Thanks for all you have done for the program and for the PA profession as a whole!
View the full 2023 U.S. News & World Reports rankings!
Congratulations to the graduating class of 2024 on their entry into the professional world!
Emily Borkowski
Emily previously received her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology with a minor in Nutrition and English: Literacy and Cultural Studies at UW-La Crosse. During college, Emily worked as an EMT in Mayo Clinic's Emergency Department. Additionally, she served as the Director of International Projects and as Co-President of the UWL Organization, Foundation for International Medical Relief of Children, where she organized sustainable public-health outreach programs for local and international medically-underserved communities. The organization largely focused on collaborating with community members to enhance access to medical care and overall wellness for women and children. Participating in this organization shaped her dedication to underserved populations and increased her desire to practice in pediatrics and women's health. As a physician assistant, her goal is to provide inclusive, comprehensive care while being a source of trust, advocacy, and empowerment for the populations she serves. As a recipient of the NHSC scholarship, she is excited to put these goals into practice and hopes that she can positively impact her patients in the same way that they have impacted her.
Grace Hoffman
Grace grew up in Richfield, WI, about 30 minutes northwest of Milwaukee. She is very passionate about working with underserved, urban populations in the primary care setting. Her goal is to connect and build trust with the people that she serves, both as a healthcare provider and as a fellow community member. She reports that she is so appreciative of the opportunity to achieve these goals with the help of the NHSC scholarship.
Tessa Rayne
Tessa is originally from River Falls, WI. After high school, she attended the University of Wisconsin - Madison where she studied Kinesiology, Health Equity, and Public Health. During this time, she took on a research role with the VA hospital and worked for UW Health during their COVID-19 response. As an NHSC scholar, she looks forward to serving rural populations and increasing healthcare access from a provider/patient and provider/community perspective, both within and outside of her Midwest community!
Natalie Roh
Natalie is from Neenah, WI and graduated from Marquette University with her undergraduate degree in Biomedical Sciences in May, 2021. Her passion project is learning about the social determinants of health and adverse childhood experiences and the impact they have on patient care. Natalie is particularly interested in working in a primary care, urban setting with patients who are experiencing homelessness, have a history of substance use disorder, and/or are living in poverty - all while implementing trauma-informed care.
Savannah Rygiewicz
Savannah is from Wind Lake, WI. She has a passion for primary care and loves the idea of building lifelong relationships with her future patients. Holding a Bachelor's degree in Public Health, she has a special interest in not only providing direct patient care, but also tailoring care to meet the cultural, personal, and financial needs of patients. She is extremely grateful to have been selected as an NHSC scholarship recipient, and she looks forward to being a provider for communities in need.
Elizabeth Siikarla
Elizabeth is from Valders, WI, and graduated with her degree in Biomedical Science from the University of Wisconsin - La Cross in December, 2020. With a heart rooted in faith and service, she desires to provide compassionate and effective care to underserved populations. As a recipient of the NHSC scholarship, Elizabeth is excited to increase access to healthcare, promote patient autonomy, and deliver health solutions to patients and communities in need.
Marquette University Television student journalists visited our program to interview students and faculty about the SIM lab and what it's like to practice with the mannequins as a student.
Dr. Georgen from Neenah, WI presented a lecture on the DaVinci Robot which was followed by a hands-on experiential simulation lab experience for our PA-2's!
Postgraduate Physician Assistant Emergency Medicine Program
Marquette University’s Department of Physician Assistant Studies offers a one-year emergency medicine fellowship at Marquette, Aurora Sinai Medical Center and Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin.
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