Even in high school, Collin Dimler BS `16, MHS `18, knew he wanted to be a PA. After one visit to Quinnipiac’s School of Health Sciences, he knew the dual-degree Entry-Level Master's Physician Assistant (ELMPA) program would help him reach his goal as quickly and economically as possible.
“What attracted me was being able to go straight into the graduate program without a gap year or even gap month, and to have my undergraduate scholarship carry over into the graduate portion,” Dimler said.
Now a PA at Hartford Hospital specializing in neurosurgery, Dimler credits his success to a range of early clinical experiences, as well as his program’s alumni network. As an undergraduate, he shadowed PAs in several unique specialties and fulfilled his patient contact hours working as a medical assistant in a primary care setting, as an EMT, and a physical therapy aide.
“These all exposed me to what PAs actually do clinically in various settings and prepared me very well to transition to the graduate PA program,” Dimler said.
While attending a Connecticut PA conference, Dimler met Lindsey Lien, MHS '11, an alumna who helped him secure an elective clinical rotation at Hartford Hospital, where she worked. His experience and composure quickly made him stand out, paving the way to his current position.