From the moment Shea A. Dempsey β12 first arrived at ΛΔ»’Σ°ΚΣ for his admissions interview he knew it was the place for him, as he felt at home and as part of a family. Dempsey was also impressed by the nationally top-rated Physician Assistant Studies program. βShenandoah is highly ranked within PA programs, and values health care education,β said Dempsey βSU has some of the best faculty in the nation and are constantly looking at what they can do to better educate their students.β
Dempseyβs time at Shenandoah helped him foster his leadership skills and gave him a great foundation of knowledge β he says the faculty mentored him into the person he is today. One of Dempseyβs fondest memories of the university is the relationships he has created with his fellow classmates and faculty, which have turned into lifelong friendships.
Dempsey is an emergency medicine physician assistant and also the founding director of ΛΔ»’Σ°ΚΣ’s Doctor of Medical Science program. He has been a part of ΛΔ»’Σ°ΚΣβs Division of Physician Assistant Studies faculty since 2014. He has taught students about neurology, pharmacology, diagnostics, point of care ultrasounds, and abdominal and thorax anatomy in his classes. In addition to his work, Dempsey is a preceptor for college and high school students looking to go into health care.
The most rewarding part of Dempseyβs career is his patients. βWorking in emergency medicine means that no one is coming to see us when they are having their best day,β said Dempsey. βI love being there for patients when they need help. Comforting family members when theyβve lost a loved one.β
Dempsey believes that Shenandoah prepared him for his career not only by providing him with the basic medical knowledge he needed, but also in preparing him to be a lifelong learner, and teaching him to have compassion and service at the center of everything he does. These are the characteristics Dempsey has funneled when developing the Doctor of Medical Science program, and hopes to instill in students for generations to come.
Dempseyβs advice to students is: βAlways be a lifelong learner. Remember your time as a student and the impact that good preceptors had on you, and consider being a great preceptor to a PA student. β
Visit Physician Assistant Studies Alumni page to learn more PA-specific alumni information.