St. Bonaventure University’s Physician Assistant Studies program sent two faculty members and eight second-year PA students to the 2025 American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) National Conference in Denver.

Professors Kesha Steighner, PA-C, and Rachel Harten, PA-C, co-advisers of the Physician Assistant Student Society at SBU, accompanied the students, which brings together thousands of PAs and PA students from across the country.

A highlight of the conference, held in May, was the AAPA Student Medical Challenge Bowl, a high-energy competition testing clinical knowledge and teamwork.

St. Bonaventure’s team of Jake Somoza, Samantha Contrera and Alexandra Angels competed against more than 90 PA programs from across the nation; Grace Marnell served as the alternate.

This marked the fourth consecutive year that St. Bonaventure PA students qualified for the Challenge Bowl, reflecting the program’s ongoing academic excellence and strong preparation.

Harten and Steighner said the students “demonstrated professionalism, teamwork, and an impressive depth of clinical knowledge on a national stage.”

“We are incredibly proud of their performance and how they represented St. Bonaventure,” Harten said.

Beyond the Challenge Bowl, the faculty and students attended clinical workshops, educational sessions, and professional development events focused on the latest innovations in patient care, health care advocacy, and leadership within the PA profession.

The conference also provided valuable networking opportunities with practicing PAs, residency directors, and potential employers for the students. Harten said.

Participation in AAPA 2025 is part of St. Bonaventure’s broader commitment to experiential learning, leadership, and preparing students to excel in today’s dynamic healthcare landscape, Steighner said.

For more information about the Physician Assistant program at St. Bonaventure, visit www.sbu.edu/pa.

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About the University: The nation’s first Franciscan university, St. Bonaventure is a community committed to transforming the lives of its students inside and outside the classroom, inspiring in them a commitment to academic excellence and lifelong civic engagement. Out of 167 regional universities in the North, St. Bonaventure was ranked #6 for value and #14 for innovation by U.S. News and World Report (2024).