After a 40-year career in health care and a decade of leadership at Duke, Jacqueline S. Barnett, DHSc, MSHS, PA-C, has retired as program director of the Duke Physician Assistant Program, effective August 8.
Barnett also served as professor of family medicine and community health and chief of the Division of Physician Assistant Studies.
In 2015, Barnett first joined Duke as associate program director of the PA Program. She went on to be named director in 2018 and division chief for the Division of PA Studies in 2022.
A nationally known leader in physician assistant education, Barnett earned a Master of Health Sciences from The George Washington University and a doctorate from A.T. Still University. She served on the GW faculty for many years before joining the Duke PA Program.
“Dr. Barnett has been a transformative force in the PA profession,” said Anthony J. Viera, MD, MPH, chair of the Department of Community and Family Medicine. “Her tenure has been marked by a deep commitment to equity, academic excellence, and compassionate leadership. Under her guidance, the Duke PA Program not only navigated the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic but also emerged stronger, more inclusive, and more resilient.”
During her career, Barnett was honored with several awards, including the Public Health Service Exemplary Service Award, National Health Service Corps Appreciation and Recognition Award, and the Physician Assistant Education Association Leadership Development Award.
April Stouder, MHS, PA-C, who brings years of experience as an educator and associate program director, will serve as interim program director. Greg Sawin, MD, MPH, associate professor in family medicine and community health, will lead a committee to search for the next program director.