DENVER — A group of Adams County District 14 students got an immersive introduction to the world of medicine this week, joining the nation’s largest gathering of physician associates at the Colorado Convention Center.
The AAPA 2025 conference is underway in Denver, and the students were selected to attend through the American Academy of Physician Associates’ Project Access program. The initiative aims to inspire young people of color and students from underserved communities to pursue careers in medicine, and to address a lack of diversity across the health care workforce.
“This is our largest conference, with nearly 7,000 physician associates from every corner of the U.S.,” said Dr. Jennifer Orozco-Kolb, AAPA’s senior vice president of clinical affairs. “It’s important that we don’t just come here and then walk away. We want to give back to the community.”
The students participated in a day of hands-on activities and mentorship. They toured a medical expo, spoke with practicing PAs, and even donned virtual reality headsets to explore human anatomy in 3D.
For 15-year-old Michelle Bucher, the experience was eye-opening.
“I’m taking anatomy right now,” she said. “Seeing the VR anatomy tools made me realize how useful that technology could be in our classrooms.”
Bucher said she’s considering careers in toxicology or EMT medicine. She plans to double-major in music education and a medical field.
Delialah Jimenez, also a sophomore, said the experience deepened her interest in becoming a pediatrician.
“No one in my family has done this,” she said. “Being here just makes me even more excited about going to college and helping people.”
Project Access was developed to build representation in a field where diversity is lacking. According to AAPA, physician associates of color represent just a small percentage of the workforce. In specialties like oncology, that number is even lower.
“Medicine is historically non-diverse, not just in the PA profession, but across physicians and nurses, too,” Orozco-Kolb said. “And research shows that patients have better outcomes when they receive care from providers who look like them, who understand their communities.”
PA Paola Gonzalez, who works in oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center, said outreach like this is essential, particularly in Latino communities where the profession is still relatively unknown.
“In Latin America, this isn’t a common role,” Gonzalez said. “We explain who we are, how we care for patients, and we help them believe in themselves.”
That impact is already being felt.
“I actually have a student here who we met during one of these school visits,” Gonzalez said. “Now she’s pursuing a pre-PA path. That makes everything worth it.”
According to Orozco-Kolb, the U.S. is facing a projected shortage of 3.2 million health care workers in the next few years. AAPA leaders say programs like Project Access are key to developing the next generation of clinicians and closing longstanding gaps in health outcomes.
“No matter where you’re from, how much money you have, or the color of your skin, you can absolutely become a PA. That’s what this is about," Orozco-Kolb said.
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