The Physician Assistant (PA) Online Program graduated its seventh and final class on Friday, May 8. The ceremony took place in Battel Chapel and celebrated 37 students as they began their careers in health care.
“Though this is the last graduation of the PA Online Program, the Class of 2026 carries its legacy forward, finishing this journey with pride and heading toward a bright future,” remarked Alexandria Garino, PhD, PA-C, associate dean for PA education.
The PA Online Program was the first of its kind and launched in 2016. It sought to offer a Yale education to students across the country, meeting them in their own communities where they would later practice.
All students in the 28-month program participated in 120 hours of direct patient experience during their didactic year, followed by 15 months of clinical rotations in or near their hometowns. The program also featured three one-week immersions on the Yale campus.
The Class of 2026 had representation from 18 states. Of the 37 graduates, 43% were the first in their families to attend college and 20% resided in a health professional shortage or medically underserved area.
“You have been part of an innovative program that has trained you to be outstanding patient-centered clinicians,” said Jessica Illuzzi, MD, MHS, deputy dean for education. “Wherever your career leads you, you will provide much-needed care to your future patients.”
“Find mentors who build you up and encourage you to maximize your potential,” encouraged Commencement speaker Mary Elliot, PhD, MMSc ’21, PA-C. “You will travel far but from time to time, I hope you will migrate back here to New Haven, to find one another and share your stories.”
Elliot referenced the German term zugunruhe, which describes the unique pull of the next chapter in each graduate’s life. “Zugunruhe is our internal clock, our rhyme and rhythm. It is the poetry driving who we are and why we do what we do.”
She told the Class of 2026 to let this urge guide their career. “Do what you love, love what you do, and don’t wait to do it.”
Student speaker Nikki Rothe, MMSc ’26, recognized the loved ones and mentors who supported the graduates throughout the program. “To our partners and spouses — thank you for every time you said 'you've got this' when we absolutely did not feel like we had it.
To our families — you loved us before we had the credentials, before we had the confidence, before we even fully believed this was possible for us.
To our mentors, preceptors, and faculty — thank you for guiding us, challenging us, and shaping us into the clinicians we are becoming.”
She encouraged her classmates to reflect not only on what they’ve learned, but also on the type of clinician they want to be.
“Let us carry forward not only the knowledge we’ve gained, but also the humility to keep learning, the courage to advocate for our patients, and the compassion to treat every individual with dignity and respect,” said Rothe.
“Let us remember what brought us here—the desire to help, to heal, and to serve.”