Yale School of Medicine’s (YSM) Physician Assistant Online (PA Online) and Physician Associate (PA) programs both were champions at the American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) 2025 Conference in May.
In the National Medical Challenge Bowl (Bowl), where questions are asked on a range of subjects, such as anatomy, primary care, and emergency medicine, YSM’s PA Online team took first place, out of a field of 90 —the first time a team from Yale has won this competition, which began in 1991. PA Online Program Assistant Professor (adjunct) Patricia Rose, MMSc, PA-C,—a PA Program alumna— coached the winning team of Tracey Kelly, Veronica Urbom, Nikki Rothe, and alternate Jillian Brauer.
The YSM PA team was one of six teams to reach the Bowl semifinal round. Assistant Professor Katie Woodlee, MS, PA-C, coached team members Ellie Kalman, Kristina Wang, Cam Thompson, and alternate Manny Gutierrez.
The PA Program took first place in a different conference event—the iScan Point-of-care Ultrasound Competition (iScan), besting 39 teams. Assistant Professor of Medicine Tara Herbert, MS, PA-C, and Associate Professor of Medicine Joe Donroe, MD, MPH, mentored and supported teammates Gutierrez, Danielle Lodge, Anthony Muchiri, Martina Wong, and Leigh Paradis.
Challenge Bowl
This was the first time the PA Online team members had participated in the Bowl. Rothe wanted to compete “because it was a chance to represent our program with pride and be part of one of the most exciting traditions at AAPA. It was also a great opportunity to challenge myself, expand my knowledge, and meet with some of my classmates on a weekly basis, even though we all live in different states.”
The team was victorious through four rounds of competition, with varying numbers of questions per round. Throughout, the first team to hit the buzzer had 10 seconds to respond—correct answers were worth 10 points; incorrect ones resulted in losing 10 points. (The PA Online team strategized about when to push the buzzer quickly, and when not to, given the risk of losing points. Their strategy enabled them to avoid any tie-breakers.)
To prepare, the PA Online team used a variety of study tools and watched for atypical presentations during clinical rotations. Starting in early January, they met on Zoom one to two times per week to practice, across different time zones. “The hardest part of preparing,” Kelly said, “was balancing the demands of clinical rotations, studying for end of rotation exams, and studying for the Challenge Bowl, all while still finding time to spend with family.”
On Bowl day, while awaiting their turn, the team practiced buzzing in by tapping their knees and whispering their answers to each other. “This warmed up our brains and helped calm our nerves, as we were getting the vast majority of the questions correct and most of the time ‘buzzing in’ before any of the teams on stage,” Kelly shared, continuing, “This gave us a huge boost of confidence so that we were more relaxed and focused when it was our turn. As the adrenaline kicked in and we started winning our rounds, our nerves turned into excitement and the rounds seemed to fly by.”
Reflecting on the victory, Brauer stated, “It feels surreal that Yale PA Online won and was recognized on a national level for it.” For Urbom, “It felt like everything we had worked for, every late-night study session, and every moment of self-doubt, had paid off,” noting it would not have been possible “without our support system and incredible coach, Patty Rose. She believed in us from day one and kept us motivated, focused, and laughing the whole way through.”
Wang, from the PA Program team, similarly noted that her team’s preparation was “greatly enhanced by the support and guidance” of their coach—Woodlee. While it was challenging to balance academic and clinical responsibilities with preparing for the Bowl, Wang said the experience was “incredibly rewarding. Representing our program on a national stage and working together as a team — each of us contributing our own unique strengths— was an experience we’ll always be proud of.”
What stood out most for Rose was “seeing the two Yale PA programs sitting together, cheering each other on, and showing everyone that Yale is an exceptional place to train as a physician associate."
iScan Competition
Muchiri had competed on the PA Program’s iScan team last year, and while proud of their fourth-place finish, “we definitely left feeling like we had unfinished business. Coming back with another amazing team this year—this time with some insight into what to expect—we knew we were ready.” Muchiri says this year’s team had “incredible support”—in addition to his former teammates cheering them on remotely, a few alumni from the PA Program’s first-ever iScan team—who had placed second—were present. “That made the moment feel even bigger. Winning this year wasn’t just about our team—it felt like a shared win across generations of Yale PA students, who helped build up our presence in the competition.”
For Wong, competing for the first time, “Joining the iScan team was a wonderful opportunity to not only challenge myself, but also build upon a valuable skill that will be essential for me as a future PA.” The number and range of activities during the competition provided many challenging opportunities. In the first round, all 40 teams rotated through five different stations (cardiac, DVT/soft tissue, etc.), where they were asked clinical questions, and had to identify structures on imaging and scan models to identify structures. Yale’s PA Program was tied for first-place when the top 12 teams advanced to the final round.
The final round was divided into three stages of head-to-head competition; the first team to finish all the tasks correctly moved on to the next stage. The students performed a wide range of activities, such as identifying the word buried at the bottom of a gel pad using ultrasound, and completing a series of scans and identifying structures. In one challenge, Gutierrez had to perform a cardiac echo wearing blackout goggles, relying on his teammates to guide him in finding the appropriate views.
To prepare for iScan, the students studied independently and as a team, holding weekly practice sessions with Donroe and with each other—scanning, and testing one another with practice questions. As the competition approached, Herbert led a mock iScan competition.
Reflecting on the experience, Muchiri shared, “Everyone poured in hours of practice, constantly challenging each other to improve. That work built a deep sense of trust, but also a weight of expectation. No one wanted to fall short or let down the people who poured so much of their time and energy into helping us get ready.” Therefore, when the team won, “it wasn’t just excitement—it was a massive sense of relief.”
Paradis, who agreed the team had been nervous, felt “more than anything, we were excited. The adrenaline, the teamwork, and the opportunity to put our skills to the test made the experience incredibly rewarding.” She added that what helped ease their nerves, “was the support and encouragement from all the volunteer instructors and patient models. Learning from them throughout the event helped us enjoy the process.”