2026 Diversity Award Recipient Increases Access to the PA Profession

EDGE-PA expands access to the PA profession for students who have faced barriers 

May 14, 2026

By Alex Morse 

Launched in 2021, EDGE-PA (Empowering Diversity, Growth, and Excellence in PA Education) was created to increase the representation of African American men within the physician associate profession. In 2025, the program expanded to serve students of all genders, races, and ethnicities who have faced significant challenges on their path to PA education. EDGE-PA is the recipient of AAPA’s 2026 Diversity Award. 

The Diversity Award recognizes a PA or PA group that champions diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within the PA profession and/or the patient population or community they serve. 

“We focus on removing barriers: whether that’s financial, informational, or structural, so that individuals who have the passion and potential to become PAs can succeed,” said EDGE-PA founder and executive director Lucy W. Kibe, DrPH, PA-C. “Mentorship, community, and intentional support are at the core of what we do because we know that representation in healthcare doesn’t happen by chance—it happens through deliberate investment and action.”  

EDGE-PA provides participants with structured, multi-level support, including mentorship, application strategy, personal statement development, mock interviews, direct engagement with PA admissions teams, and financial assistance for application-related costs. Since launch, it has steadily expanded, serving students across diverse geographic regions, with participants representing 19 states and applying to PA programs of their choice nationwide. 

Beyond PA program application preparation, participants receive the resources and support needed to succeed as future PA students, including academic enrichment and opportunities to attend live PA courses alongside current students. The program also emphasizes leadership development while building confidence, community, and a sense of belonging—factors that are often overlooked but critical to long-term success. 

“The EDGE-PA program showed me exactly what I was looking for: a sense of community. Even though the program is virtual, I truly felt close to everyone within the program and learn more than I imagined. I officially feel prepared to begin PA School,” said EDGE-PA alumna Stacey Celestin. 

In 2025, 32 students were accepted into the EDGE-PA program, with 18 participants applying to PA programs during that application cycle. Of these, 16 students received multiple interviews, and 14 were accepted to PA programs across the country. Prior to joining EDGE-PA, many participants had applied to PA programs multiple times without success, often completing two to three application cycles before entering the program. 

“As someone who faced significant social barriers to becoming a PA, it is so fulfilling to be able to provide the mentorship, feedback, and resources I wish I had while navigating the process of applying to PA school, getting through PA school, and starting my first job as a PA,” said mentor Cooper Couch, PA-C. “It is a low-effort time commitment for a significant, substantial impact on helping shape someone’s future.” 

EDGE-PA mentors like Couch guide students through CASPA preparation, personal statement development, mock interviews, and professional readiness training. Many mentors also offer shadowing opportunities and ongoing mentorship that extends beyond the formal program year. 

“Programs like this matter. In communities like the one I serve, where access to care and culturally responsive providers are critical, we need future clinicians who are both well prepared and grounded in service. EDGE-PA is helping to build that pipeline in a concrete and measurable way,” said Sampath Wijesinghe, DHSc, MS, MPAS, PA-C, AAHIVS, a clinical associate professor at Stanford University School of Medicine. 

By expanding the pipeline of prepared and competitive applicants, EDGE-PA strengthens the future PA workforce and helps ensure that communities have access to clinicians who understand and reflect the populations they serve. In doing so, EDGE-PA demonstrates how mentorship-driven pipeline programs can play a transformative role in advancing access, opportunity, and excellence in the PA profession. 

As the program grows, so does its impact. With new partnerships and funding, EDGE-PA is expanding to reach more students and strengthen the pathway into the profession. 

At its core, EDGE-PA is about opening the gates to the PA profession and making sure those who walk through them are ready to succeed. “I want people to know and believe that the PA profession is attainable for everyone,” said Kibe. “No matter your background or life circumstances, there is a place for you here.” 

Alex Morse is AAPA’s Communications Manager. She can be reached at [email protected].