On August 5th, 2026, we welcomed eight new Pathologists’ Assistant (Path A) students with our annual White Coat Ceremony in the Duke South Amphitheater. Speakers at this year’s ceremony included Johnston-West Endowed Department Chair of Pathology Jioati Huang, MD, PhD, Program Director Michelle Johnson, MHS, PA(ASCP)CM, and guest speaker Dennis Strenk, PA(ASCP)CM from Wisconsin Diagnostic Laboratories.
The brief ceremony included words of advice for completing the Path A program and discussion about the crucial work that PA(ASCP)s do behind the scenes to care for our patients. Johnson also shared a brief history from the very beginnings of the Duke PA program to today’s current program. Following the ceremony, there was a brief meet & greet among the new students and their families over Gigi’s cupcakes. Following the meet & greet, several members of the Path A program, including students and staff preceptors, enjoyed dinner at The Loop restaurant.
After the white coat ceremony, we had our annual Welcome Event for our new incoming students on August 8th at Bowlero. In attendance were all of our 1st and 2nd year Path A students and a few of our staff preceptors, including Johnson, Jonathan Chen MHS, PA(ASCP), Nicole Tomsho, MHS, PA(ASCP), Fern Szulgit, MHS, PA(ASCP)CM, Erin Robinson, and Hunter Pyron. Everyone had a great time bowling and enjoying a dinner buffet.
The first-year Path A students will begin their didactic portion of the program this year, which includes taking classes with the first-year medical students (MS1) at Duke. After completing the year of didactic education, they will move on to their second year of the program, where they will complete their clinical rotations in surgical pathology and autopsy.
Congratulations to our incoming class: