Physician Assistant Alumni and Credentialing
Alumni Spotlights
Brooke Thorton, ’20, MMS, PA-C
Brooke Thorton
Since graduating from Arcadia University’s Physician Assistant program in 2020, Brooke Thorton has navigated a unique path into the PA profession—both in the United States and abroad. After spending 2.5 years in vascular surgery in the United States, she made a bold move to Germany in 2023, bringing her skills and experience to a country where the PA profession is still in its early stages. Inspired by her father, a nurse with an incredible work ethic, and her personal love for anatomy, Thorton decided to pursue a career in healthcare. She was drawn to the PA profession for its balance between work and life, and its flexibility. After shadowing a PA and working as a PT aide, she knew this career offered her the chance to remain versatile and hands-on in the medical field while still exploring the possibility of education in the future. Her career in the U.S. started in vascular surgery—a field she hadn’t initially set her sights on but grew to love. Vascular surgery was not a specialty that she had tried in school, but Thorton found satisfaction in this specialized area, especially when seeing the impact of procedures, like bypass surgeries, on her patients’ lives. Her passion for patient care and the operating room only deepened with each case.
However, it was her personal life that eventually led her to Germany. Her partner, who moved to Germany during the pandemic, inspired her to pursue a unique challenge: working as a PA in a foreign country. “I didn’t think I’d be able to work internationally as a PA,” she admits, but her desire to continue her career as well as a clinical rotation experience in Aberdeen, Scotland, during her time as an Arcadia student, sparked her interest in global healthcare.
In Germany, where the PA profession is still emerging, Thorton has faced both challenges and opportunities. With only five PAs in her hospital, she quickly became a vital resource. The lack of mentorship and standardization in the PA role in Germany meant she had to rely on her initiative to navigate the profession. She got to see first-hand how the role of PAs in Germany is rapidly evolving, despite how many doctors and patients there are still unfamiliar with the profession. When first arriving at her job in Germany, not only did she have to acclimate to a new role in a new environment, but she also had to overcome a language barrier, as she arrived with only a conversational level of German. Since embarking on this new path, she has become immersed in German culture, with the support of her partner as well as her coworkers, allowing her to grow her language skills and her knowledge as a PA.
Outside of work, Thorton enjoys the vibrant cultural scene in Germany, exploring food festivals, hiking, and spending time outdoors with her dog. She also speaks candidly about the importance of mental health in preventing burnout—something she’s experienced firsthand in the high-pressure environment of surgery. Germany’s strong support for work-life balance and mental health have aided her in maintaining a healthy balance. While reminiscing on her time at Arcadia, as well as all of the hard work she has accomplished to reach this point in her career, she shared valuable advice for those currently following in her footsteps as PA students to “enjoy the time in school while you can, it goes by so fast”. Thornton also noted the importance of finding “a mentor that will show you the ropes”. Thornton found a mentor in her advisor, Erin Wolf, during her time at Arcadia, then went on to be mentored by seasoned PAs within the vascular surgery field who helped her get to where she is today.
As Thorton continues working in Germany, we are excited to see her continued dedication to the career as well as her ongoing commitment to the health of her patients as a PA.
stant Class of 2019 and currently works as a physician assistant in Infectious Disease at The Hospital of The University of Pennsylvania. Following her graduation from Arcadia in the spring of 2019, Kathleen took several well-deserved months off before beginning a one-year APP fellowship in Infectious Disease at The Hospital of The University of Pennsylvania in January 2020. Kathleen would eventually go on to accept a position within this department upon completion of her fellowship.
Kathleen recalls feeling incredibly grateful for each of the esteemed physicians and fellow advanced practice providers who dedicated their time to train and teach her throughout the course of the fellowship. She reminisces on the countless hours spent in lectures during this year to polish her ID knowledge and attributes the level of expertise and care she brings to her patients currently to this. Additionally, Kathleen states it is impossible to forget the impact Arcadia’s PA Program had in shaping her into the PA she is today. When asked how the program best prepared her for this career, Kathleen replied with the cultivated curriculum, variety of rotations, and constant support from the professors who elevated her PA school experience.
While on the topic of PA school, Kathleen vividly remembers the Holiday Party and PA Olympics as two of her favorite memories. Kathleen served as the Constituent Chapter Student Representative and led Arcadia to first place in fundraising amongst all of the schools that participated in PA Olympics. Her class raised over $25,000, which was donated to construct accessible playgrounds for children with disabilities.
This success has certainly followed Kathleen into her life post-graduation. Regarding her career thus far, Kathleen notes feeling proud of herself for becoming a competent physician assistant, finding a position perfectly suited for her, and providing the best possible care to her patients each day. She takes great pride in knowing the exact antibiotic to prescribe to make her patients feel better and states her position is incredibly rewarding due to this. Kathleen also enjoys the collaborative nature of working in inpatient infectious disease, as she finds that patients experience the best possible outcomes with her team working together on their case. As for current students, Kathleen advises them to approach PA school with an open mind and truly understand the pathophysiology behind disease because this knowledge will ease their transition into their career as a PA.
As for her future, Kathleen plans to get involved in PA education and is set to deliver infectious disease lectures to physician assistant programs in the upcoming months. She also plans to continue in her current role as an Infectious Disease PA, while one day hoping to use her experience to take on an additional role in health policy or research.
Alex Carter PA-C, ‘17M spotlighted in 40 Under 40.
Alex Carter
Albuquerque, New Mexico-based Director of Population Health, Alex Carter ‘17M, PA-C, has a knack for recognizing when healthcare and social services are lacking for a particular subset of the community and identifying what innovations need to be made to fill that need. She understands that finding the right solutions for care includes making resources available to those who need it most. As a first-generation college graduate and graduate student, Alex attributes both Arcadia University and her personal drive to her success in her life, career, and most recently, being included in 40 Under 40 Class of 2024 honorees by Albuquerque Business First. In her role leading population health initiatives with a national healthcare organization, Carter remotely manages 25 state locations. Originally from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, her path to New Mexico took her through geographic twists and turns. She went to undergraduate school at Southern Virginia University, for, “an adventure.”
\When looking at physician assistant graduate programs, Arcadia’s small class sizes and lived values were a selling point, and she soon enrolled. Living within walking distance from Glenside’s campus, Carter recalls, “Arcadia’s accessibility made it easy to put your arms around the school. You feel like you truly matter and there are valuable resources and programs, not just in the classroom, but within the University community.”
Carter says that studying at Arcadia was both challenging and motivating. At the time, students had access to the facilities and services at Jefferson University in Philadelphia. Carter said, “Having access to two campuses was groundbreaking. Gaining experience in a gross anatomy \lab was an opportunity to learn anatomy through interaction and dissection of human cadavers, which is not necessarily an academic necessity at all schools.” The accommodations for learning and great selection of professors were just two of the reasons she loved Arcadia’s Physician Assistant Program.During her studies, Alex was able to participate in many clinical rotations in different areas of the country. “My whole life changed because I was able to explore different states,” she said: “I went to Las Vegas, Nevada; Dover, Delaware; the Cape May Coast Guard Training Center; and Albuquerque, New Mexico. The out-of-state rotations were really special.”
When traveling to New Mexico for her rotation, Carter experienced some travel delays. Normally a nuisance to be forgotten, not so for Carter because during one of the layovers between flights is when she met her now-husband. “Arcadia is a very big part of why we are together,” she said, “Now we live in New Mexico together with our six-year-old daughter, Scout. Being a mother is one of my greatest achievements.”
After graduation, she began working for New Mexico’s largest healthcare system, Presbyterian Healthcare Services, in their urgent emergency care unit, and was soon initiating transforming programs including the telehealth division and overseeing specialty care for the elderly. Alex helped build a seniors’ facility, where it was encouraged for that community to learn more about their basic needs and health. Carter is now furthering her education and knowledge by pursuing a Doctor of Medical Science degree that will help prepare her for future leadership and research opportunities.
Alex continues to abide by the best advice she’s received. “You’re not going to fit in everywhere. It always feels like a personal failure when I don’t fit in, but I know I’m not supposed to fit in everywhere or with everything. I truly think Arcadia’s culture helped me realize that the fit is important. The comfortable environment at Arcadia allowed me to succeed to the best of my ability and rise to the occasion. Ultimately, you are your best resource!”
Learn more from 40 Under 40 profile by Albuquerque Business First.
Erica Hartman ’20MMS began her PA career in palliative care.
Erica Hartmann
Erica Hartmann graduated from Arcadia PA program in 2020 in the beginning of the COVID shutdown. Despite emerging as a new PA into the unknown world of medicine at that point, she embraced the challenge and navigated obstacles to land her first PA role in palliative care. There, she was able to spend quality time with patients, and truly recognized the importance of kind, patient centered care that occurs with the transition to end of life.
Erica just celebrated a year at her most recent job position in neurocritical care at Stanford. In this area she is able to enjoy the speed of the hospital pace, while still incorporating aspects of palliative care into her every day work. She commends Arcadia for allowing a learning environment that encouraged lifelong peer connections, and simply “emphasizing being a good human“.
Erica was also a public health major, and she continues to incorporate her knowledge into her work and community by working with the team at Stanford to emphasize mental wellness, and within her community by working with the local YMCA to develop family wellness and activities in the Bay area. Erica continues to be in contact with many of her peers that she graduated with, and students may see her in the future as a possible preceptor!
Valerie Dieterick PA-C ’09
Valerie continues her relationship with the Arcadia PA Program as a facilitator.
After graduating from the Arcadia PA program in 2009, Ms. Dieterick began working as a hospitalist PA in Doylestown Health Hospital. Ms. Dieterick has enjoyed her work there and has been in this position for almost 15 years. Her experience at Doylestown Health Hospital has allowed her to have several leadership positions at this organization. She is currently the co-chair of the Advanced Practice Provider Committee and is a member of the Documentation and Order Set Committees at her hospital. She also spent two years working with a private practice, rounding at local nursing homes to provide care to rehab and long term care residents.
Ms. Dieterick also enjoys being involved with Arcadia. In the past, she has helped facilitate physical diagnosis labs and problem based labs for the PA program. She appreciates that Arcadia has a wide variety of options for rotations, including experience in inpatient, outpatient, and skilled nursing/long term care facilities. This allowed her to have a good idea of what specialty she wanted to practice in after graduation.
In the future, Ms. Dieterick hopes to continue serving in leadership positions and working on other projects in the hospital. She is dedicated to advocating for other PAs in her hospital and ensuring that they receive the recognition they deserve.
Lynn Spagnol PA-C ‘15
Learn More About Lynn’s Arcadia Story and Beyond
As a former field hockey player, Lynn Spagnol was drawn to Emergency Medicine for
the team dynamics reminiscent of those on sports teams. Lynn first attended Arcadia
University as an undergrad chemistry major and player on the field hockey team. In
between class and practice, she worked as a tutor and ER tech, later graduating
Summa Cum Laude in 2012. In 2013, she joined the PA class of 2015 at Arcadia where
she went on to participate in the medical service trip to Nicaragua and an international
rotation in Guatemala. It was on these trips that Lynn was able to master her medical
Spanish that she now uses every day in the ER. After feeling a draw to the community
there, Spagnol returned as an alumni and volunteered for the medical service trip to
Guatemala an additional four times.
She now has 2 young children, Conrad and Scottie, and is enjoying settling into her life
as a mom. She loves working as an Emergency Medicine PA which she believes is the
perfect job for a working mom. Lynn described how because of her weekend and night
shift hours, she was able to go to her son’s field trip to the fire station in the middle of
the day last week. Once her children are a bit older, Lynn hopes to participate in
another Arcadia PA program medical service trip, but for now, she is enjoying being a
mom.
Jaclyn (Jackie) Diefenbacher ’19
Jaclyn made connections in her clinical year to land her first job.
Jaclyn (Jackie) Diefenbacher, PA-C is a 2019 Arcadia Physician Assistant Program graduate from the Glenside campus. She is currently working for Capital Health in Pennington, New Jersey on the surgical critical care floor where she is a co-lead in helping to coordinate all procedures with partnering teams and administration to ensure streamline care. She actually completed a rotation at the hospital during her clinical year where she fell in love and made connections that landed her the job. The aspect Jackie loves most about her job is the team she works with. Due to the high stress, she is thankful that she gets to spend time with people she is happy to be around; something she recommends that future job applicants find. She also loves the versatility within her job where she is able to cover many different fields of surgery and medicine so everyday keeps her on her toes.
When discussing how to find a balance in her career, Jackie outlined the importance of giving yourself grace and having decompression points to unwind. She personally works on a shift schedule so has time to exercise and see friends and family but emphasized how important it is to figure out what you need as an individual to recharge. When asked about her greatest accomplishment as a PA, Jackie noted that on paper an easy one to speak about is her completion of an acute care fellowship, one of only three in the country! In her experience though, she noted that every time she is able to give a family member back to their loved ones is a proud moment. People often think that inpatient care does not deal with families, but Jackie described her role as very family-centric where she is able to see the impact she has as a healthcare provider which makes her job that much more rewarding.
In speaking about school, Jackie enjoyed her time at Arcadia. She felt well prepared for her field of work after graduating. She noted that it is a challenging transition to inpatient care because it is hard to teach about how hospitals work in school. Therefore, she did most of her preparing during her clinical year and emphasized the importance of being willing to ask questions to learn how the “real world” works. Her favorite memory from her time at Arcadia was when her cohort won PA Olympics! She also had a lot of fun with her classmates as they would all high five before exams and be silly together to help ease the stresses of school. Additionally, she really enjoyed Professor Huber’s lecture on relationships and sexual risk behaviors because it was unlike any other talk they had in didactic year, and it helped her better understand and appreciate how to speak to different populations.
At the end of the interview, Jackie was asked to give some advice to current and future Arcadia PA students. In finding a job, it is important to know what you are looking for. Jackie suggested making a list of things that are important to you to help you make sure the right fit is found. In regards to school, it gets better. There is light at the end of the tunnel and students are in this program for a reason. She said to have confidence in yourself and your abilities and take that with you as you transition in life.
Education Verification
Requests for verifications from the list below must be emailed to: pacredentialing@arcadia.edu. Please plan for processing to take ten business days.
- Degree verification
- Education verification
- Licensure forms
- Professional letters of recommendation
- Certificate of insurance / claims history
Transcripts
Transcripts must be requested directly from the Registrar’s Office.
Keep in Touch!
If you are an Arcadia University Physician Assistant alumni, please provide us with your updated contact information.
Employment search
For Alumni
The Office of Career Education can support alumni in developing effective job search strategies, networking, interviewing, and/or crafting application materials. Arcadia alumni who have matriculated one semester toward a degree (undergraduate or graduate) are eligible to schedule up to four complimentary meetings with a professional Career Educator. To schedule a meeting, visit Handshake. If you are creating an account for the first time, please visit Handshake and select the Students/Alumni tab. You will be able to register for an account with a personal email. Alumni accounts are typically reviewed and approved by OCE within 48 hours of registration. Contact careerhelp@arcadia.edu with any questions. Handshake also offers you access to:
- Job listings thousands of jobs on Handshake searchable by industry, location and remote opportunities using keyword search tool
- Employer-sponsored virtual career events
OCE’s website has a wealth of helpful resources including:
- Online job search resources including sites for finding remote work
- Online guides on resumes, interviewing, unemployment compensation, conducting a job search and more
For Employers
If you are looking to hire an Arcadia student or graduate, please post your position(s) within Handshake. Creating an employer account quick and easy (less than 5 minutes).If you already have a Handshake account, please log in here and request a connection with Arcadia University. If you are creating a new account in Handshake for the first time, please register here.
For questions about recruiting at Arcadia contact recruit@arcadia.edu.
