CHS Professor Kevin Schuer humbled by Delta Omega Honorary Society induction

Earlier this year, College of Health Sciences professor Kevin Schuer, DrPH, PA-C, was humbled to learn he was being inducted into the Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health. The Delta Omega Honorary Society recognizes and encourages excellence in practice, research, education, and academic achievement within the field of public health.

"It’s an honor to be recognized alongside current and prior Delta Omega award winners, especially considering how prestigious this honor is," Schuer said. "Delta Omega recognizes excellence in public health scholarship, leadership, and service, and I’m deeply humbled to join its ranks."

Schuer is the Program Director and Associate Professor for the Physician Assistant Studies (UKPAS) Department. Prior to joining the UKPAS program faculty in 2008, Dr. Schuer served as Fellow with the National Center for Patient Safety (NCPS) in Ann Arbor, MI. He also completed a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) degree from the University of Kentucky College of Public Health where his work focused on Health Management and Policy.

Schuer's journey into public health began during his undergraduate studies; he was drawn to the field through his exposure to preventive care and community health programs.

"Witnessing disparities in healthcare access and outcomes pushed me to pursue a career focused on addressing these issues through the lens of public health and clinical medicine," he said.

Schuer pursued his DrPH degree in Health Management and Policy at CPH, having initially been drawn in by the people and leadership of the college. He said the opportunity to learn from leaders in the field and engage in impactful research also was compelling.

“Not only their strong backgrounds in leadership, administration, and public health service but also the infrastructure that was in place within the college that could help support people like me who were eager to pursue an advanced degree in Public Health,” he said. “I knew firsthand about the dedicated faculty and staff as well as the very real and evident commitment to addressing health disparities in underserved populations.”

Schuer said he now passes those lessons on in his current roles.

“As the Program Director of the UK Physician Assistant Studies program, as well as being a practicing PA-C in UK’s Internal Medicine Group, the concepts of delivering primary care, prevention, as well as the social determinants of health are not only important to our faculty, staff and PA students, they are missional,” he said. “Public health, whether we talk about it implicitly or explicitly, is woven into the fabric of our entire program. We teach and train our students to take a similar posture so that they might go out and positively influence healthcare disparities and be public health champions.”