When Hallie Weinman, PA ’24 began her undergraduate journey at a school in Cortland, N.Y., she did not envision becoming a physician assistant (PA), or working in health care at all. Weinman planned to study visual communications and graphic design. It did not take her long, though, to begin to feel that she was meant to apply herself in a different way. Weinman had always enjoyed math and science, and was also drawn to caring for others. And so, she decided to change course. Weinman went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology at a different institution before enrolling in the master’s degree program in physician assistant studies at Le Moyne.
“Le Moyne quite literally had the words I could not find when it came to applying myself in life,” she recalls. “When I read [the College’s tagline] "Greatness meets Goodness,” everything seemed to come together. The next thing I knew, I was buying a Le Moyne sweatshirt.”
An increasing demand for clinicians, a range of opportunities for growth, and a diverse array of settings in which to practice make this an excellent time to enter the health care field. But what most drew Weinman to the profession was this: the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of other people. She grew up in Belmont, N.Y., a small, medically underserved community in Allegany County. That background instilled in her a deep appreciation for the role primary caregivers play in people’s lives. Now she is in a position to potentially be one of those caregivers.
Weinman is one of four current students in Le Moyne’s PA Studies Program to have been named National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Scholars. Established in 1972, the NHSC connects primary health care clinicians to people in the United States with limited access to health care. In return for their work, participants receive funds to help defer the cost of their education. Corps members focus on preventing disease and illness and treating people regardless of their ability to pay, and the program is popular with burgeoning clinicians like Weinman. There are currently more than 20,000 NHSC members serving more than 21 million people across the country.
As she looks to her own future, Weinman wants to ensure that her patients feel safe in her presence, whether they are undergoing a simple yearly physical or are facing a potentially serious medical challenge. She hopes that she can provide then with a sense of calm and comfort and accompany them throughout their journey.
“The health care field is a vulnerable place, and more often than not, the medicine isn't the tricky part,” she says. “It’s the people and their stories that are complex.”
This story is part is a series about students in Le Moyne’s Physician Assistant Studies Program who have been named National Health Service Corps Scholars.