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Karen Jane Hills

Professor Emerita in Family Medicine and Community Health
Family Medicine and Community Health, Physician Assistant Program
DUMC 104780, Durham, NC 27710
800 South Duke Street, Durham, NC 27701

Overview


Ms. Hills is professor emeritus in the Department of Community and Family Medicine. She currently serves as the chief of educational development for the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA) located in Washington, DC. Ms. Hills works with PA programs across the country to provide faculty development training and consultation including many Duke PA faculty who serve as faculty development facilitators.

Current Appointments & Affiliations


Professor Emerita in Family Medicine and Community Health · 2017 - Present Family Medicine and Community Health, Physician Assistant Program, Family Medicine and Community Health

In the News


Published November 19, 2015
Duke's pioneering Physician Assistant Program celebrates 50 years
Published October 15, 2014
Physician assistant students, faculty, staff show ‘heart of service’

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Recent Publications


Meeting the Accreditation Standard for Diversity.

Journal Article J Physician Assist Educ · March 1, 2023 While increasing diversity has been an ongoing concern in physician assistant (PA) education, there is now a concentrated focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice, elevating these to top priorities. To achieve the goal of diversifying the ... Full text Link to item Cite

Reflections on a Physician Assistant Entrance Exam: Does the Profession Need One?

Journal Article J Physician Assist Educ · March 1, 2021 Standardized entrance exams are used in many health professions as one way to objectively measure knowledge and facilitate comparisons across student groups. The physician assistant (PA) profession has historically not employed a profession-specific entran ... Full text Link to item Cite

Reimagining Physician Assistant Education.

Journal Article J Physician Assist Educ · September 2020 The physician assistant (PA) profession has successfully flourished for over 50 years, demand for graduates remains strong, and there is a wealth of research on the quality of care that PA graduates provide. Nevertheless, health care and education are cons ... Full text Link to item Cite
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Recent Grants


Clinical Rotation Development Fellowship

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEProgram Director · Awarded by Health Resources and Service Administration · 2011 - 2016

Equipment to Enhance Physician Assistant Training

EquipmentPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Health Resources and Service Administration · 2010 - 2011

Training in Primary Care

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEAssociate Program Director · Awarded by Health Resources and Service Administration · 2001 - 2010

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Education, Training & Certifications


Wake Forest University · 1999 P.A.- C.
American University · 1988 M.S.

External Links


Duke PA Program