SPRINGFIELD, Mo., November 3, 2025 – Drury University’s Physician Assistant (PA) program honored its inaugural graduating class on Saturday, Nov. 1, in Stone Chapel.
The graduation ceremony was the culmination of 26 months of practical and professional study for the program, which was established in 2023. Each of the graduates completed 14 months of didactic curriculum and 12 months of clinical rotations.
“This inaugural class represents far more than our program’s first graduates. They are pioneers and changemakers who embody hope for communities long overlooked,” Drury PA Program Director Dr. Justin M. Gambini said. “These physician assistants will confront healthcare inequities, bridge healthcare deserts and bring compassionate, high-quality care to every corner of our communities. They carry not only knowledge and skill, but a calling — to serve with courage, conviction and heart and to forever define what it means to be a Drury PA.”
A total of 28 graduates received their Master of Science diplomas while wearing hoods trimmed in traditional Kelly green, signifying the field of medicine.
Brett Clayton, PA-C and a part-time faculty member in the PA program, delivered the keynote address. Clayton, who is an experienced physician assistant and educator, has served as a guest lecturer at Drury since the program’s inception.
For more information on the PA Program, please visit drury.edu.
###
Media Contact: Cris Belvin, Director of University Communications & Media Relations | (417) 873-7392 | gbelvin@drury.edu