PA Student Meredith Reinhard Earns Two Major Scholarships
Lake Erie College first year Physician Assistant (PA) student Meredith Reinhard has earned two major scholarships for her dedication to the profession. She was just awarded the PA Foundation Scholarship from the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) and earlier this year she received a scholarship from the Ohio Association of Physician Assistants (OAPA).
Reinhard graduated from Kent State University with a degree in Nutrition in 2012. But she took the majority of her Physician Assistant prerequisites at LEC to be eligible for the PA Program. She has only good things to say about her time at LEC, where she enjoys the student to faculty ratio and the privacy of the PA Suite.
“Every professor is invested in your success and with the rigors of PA school they go above and beyond to make sure we have what we need to succeed,” Reinhard said. “I am appreciative I was given this opportunity and that the Lake Erie community believes in me to become a great healthcare provider.”
These prestigious PA awards are both from nationally recognized PA organizations. The PA Foundation is a national nonprofit organization that promotes better health and wellness by providing PA’s and PA students with philanthropic opportunities and resources. PA Foundation scholarships support PA students who demonstrate a passion for the profession and healthcare-related community service. Nearly 350 PA students submitted applications for this 2021 scholarship cycle. Reinhardt was one of 26 PA students who were awarded scholarships. The OAPA provides a foundation for the PA profession for the state of Ohio and promotes quality, cost-effective, accessible health care through the physician assistant – physician team approach. Reinhard was eligible for these scholarships as a student member of the AAPA or OAPA.
“I am extremely grateful for receiving these scholarships,” she said. “My journey to PA school has not been without financial struggles and every little bit helps. While it is my goal as a future PA to give back to my community and work in an underserved rural population, the receipt of these scholarships has reminded me to also give back to those who will be walking down the same path in becoming a PA. I look forward to sharing the knowledge I learn here at the LEC PA program and providing additional aid where I can.”