Rate My Professor Dana Sayre-Stanhope

Dana Sayre-Stanhope, EdD, PA-C Emeritus, is Professor of Physician Assistant Education and Chair of the Department of Physician Assistant Education at Point Loma Nazarene University, where she joined in 2019 and also serves as Associate Dean of Accreditation, Assessment, and Curriculum. She earned her EdD in Educational Leadership from the University of Sarasota in 2004, MS in Pediatrics from the University of Colorado in 1983, BS in Pediatrics from the University of Colorado in 1982, and graduated from the University’s Child Health Associate/Physician Assistant Program in 1984. Her distinguished career in physician assistant education spans over three decades. She began as faculty in Pediatric Surgery at the University of Florida (1988-1991), followed by a joint appointment at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and City College of New York Harlem Hospital’s PA program (1991-1993), where she contributed to pediatric trauma prevention. Sayre-Stanhope founded graduate PA programs at Quinnipiac University (1993-1998) and Samuel Merritt University (1998-2003), served as department chair and division chief for PA programs at Saint Louis University (2003-2007) and Emory University (2007-2013), and directed post-graduate programs at Emory (2013-2015), developing initiatives to return inactive PAs to practice.

Her research interests include assessment and accreditation, medical education, and professional competencies. Sayre-Stanhope has held pivotal national and international leadership roles, including Chair of the Accreditation Review Commission for Physician Assistants, President of the Physician Assistant Education Association, and Founding President of the International Academy of Physician Associate Educators. She has delivered key presentations such as “International Accreditation Standards for Physician Associate Analogs” (2017, Lexington, KY), “International Standards for Physician Assistant Type Providers – Is It Time?” (2016, Birmingham, UK), and “Building Learning Communities in a Changing Curriculum” (2014, Ottawa, Canada). Notable awards include the AAPA Service Award (2003), ARC-PA Outstanding Service Award (2004), induction into Pi Alpha (2005) and Alpha Eta (2007) honor societies, and Distinguished Fellow of the AAPA (2009). She has contributed to grants like the HRSA Regional Geriatric Grant (2010-2015) and AIHA Twinning Grant with Witwatersrand University (2010-2018), and served on editorial boards and international consultations in health professional training.