Graduate Story: Alexis Newton '17
Looking back, I think the greatest lesson Dickinson taught me was that opportunity should never be limited by access. That belief continues to guide both my career and the work I pursue outside of medicine.
—Alexis Newton '17
Alexis Newton '17 (biology) will begin her career this August as a cardiothoracic surgery physician associate at Kaweah Health Medical Center. Passionate about serving underserved communities, she looks forward to providing compassionate, high-quality care to patients across California's Central Valley while supporting them through every stage of their surgical journey.
Tell us a little about the physician associate program you completed and the new position you'll soon start.
I recently graduated with honors from the physician associate program at USC Keck School of Medicine in Los Angeles. While PA school came with its fair share of long days, difficult exams and moments where I questioned whether I'd ever know enough medicine, looking back, every challenge prepared me for the responsibility of caring for patients. The program not only strengthened my clinical knowledge but also shaped me into a better leader, advocate, educator and teammate.
This August, I'll begin my career as a cardiothoracic surgery physician associate at Kaweah Health Medical Center in Visalia, Calif. I fell in love with cardiothoracic surgery the first time I scrubbed into a coronary artery bypass procedure and realized how meaningful it was to care for patients throughout every stage of their journey—from the ICU and operating room to the clinic and recovery. One of the greatest privileges of being a physician associate is walking alongside patients during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives and helping guide them toward healing.
Giving back to my community has always been one of the driving forces behind why I chose medicine. Kaweah Health serves a large rural population throughout California's Central Valley, where many patients are agricultural workers or come from communities that have historically faced significant barriers to healthcare access. By the time many of these patients reach our service, they are often living with advanced disease; not because they lacked the desire to be healthy but because prevention, specialty care or consistent access simply wasn't available when they needed it most. Knowing that I have the opportunity to care for these patients during such a pivotal moment in their lives—and to serve a community where physicians and physician associates are truly needed—is both an incredible privilege and a responsibility I don't take lightly.
What was your Dickinson experience like?
Dickinson gave me so much more than an education—it gave me a community. Some of my closest friendships today began there, and many of the faculty who invested in me continue to influence the way I lead and approach my career. Although Dickinson is a smaller campus, the opportunities to grow were anything but small.
Looking back, I think the greatest lesson Dickinson taught me was that opportunity should never be limited by access. That belief continues to guide both my career and the work I pursue outside of medicine. Dickinson challenged me to think beyond my own success and instead ask how I could help create opportunities for others. That mindset has become one of the defining principles of my professional journey.
How did Dickinson help prepare you for where you are today?
Dickinson taught me that leadership is less about holding a title and more about creating opportunities for others. Through programs like Trendsetters and the mentorship I received from faculty and peers, I learned the importance of building community, investing in relationships and lifting others as I grew.
Those lessons carried into PA school, where I served two years on the American Academy of Physician Associates Student Academy board of directors, working alongside student leaders from across the country to advocate for the profession and strengthen opportunities for future physician associates. They also inspired me to co-create USC's Virtual Pre-PA Pathways Program, a national mentorship initiative created to expand access to PA education for aspiring students from historically underrepresented backgrounds, including first-generation college students, rural communities, caregivers and individuals with limited access to mentorship and professional networks.
Dickinson instilled in me a lifelong commitment to service that continues to shape how I care for patients, mentor future healthcare professionals and advocate for the physician associate profession.
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Published July 15, 2026