PHOTOS: UK PA Students Break New Ground in International Exchange with Dutch Clinical Rotation
By Ryan Clark
CHS Communications Director
In another step forward for international collaboration in healthcare education, two Physician Assistant (PA) students from the University of Kentucky’s College of Health Sciences (CHS) recently completed the department’s first international Supervised Clinical Practicum Experience (SCPE) for students. Based at Radboud University Medical Center in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, this exchange offered a rare opportunity to explore global perspectives on patient care.
The program, which took place June 2–17, included students Anne Shand and Hunter Leathers, along with PA residents Cora McCully and Noah Gadd. The initiative was led by faculty from the Department of Physician Assistant Studies, including Department Chair Virginia Valentin, DrPH, PA-C, Assistant Professor Ashley Quinlan, MSPAS, PA-C, and Assistant Professor Ryan Hunton, DHSc, PA-C.
“This year we took four learners to the Netherlands, and the trip was extra special,” Valentin said. “They hosted a one-day symposium that included students and faculty from the Netherlands, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the University of Kentucky. We discussed the shared barriers and triumphs of training PAs to provide health care in our communities.”
The exchange, piloted last year with residents and faculty only, aims to deepen understanding of healthcare delivery systems in other countries while cultivating cultural competence among future healthcare providers. Participants rotated through various specialties including primary care, emergency medicine, elderly care and general surgery.
For Anne Shand, the experience was a meaningful capstone to her PA training.
“As a dual U.S./EU citizen, this was a profoundly personal and professional opportunity,” she said. “I witnessed innovative, patient-centered care in a teaching hospital that performs some of the most advanced procedures in Europe. It broadened my view of what leadership in healthcare can look like globally.”
Shand added that the exchange gave her new insights into how cultural and structural factors influence medical practice. “It’s something I’ll carry with me as I step into my new role as a provider,” she said.
Hunter Leathers, who shared living accommodations with fellow participants during the rotation, said the trip exceeded expectations.
“We gained first-hand insight into how healthcare delivery differs in structure, accessibility and patient-provider dynamics,” Leathers said. “It challenged my assumptions and enriched my understanding of what it means to be a compassionate, equitable provider.”
Leathers particularly valued the relationships formed with Dutch, German and English students and professionals. “Whether it was over coffee or during patient care, those shared human moments reminded me that good medicine is universal — rooted in listening, learning and showing up for people.”
For PA resident Cora McCully, the experience offered unique professional development and global networking opportunities.
“I was able to make meaningful connections with PA students and faculty not only from Kentucky but also from the Netherlands, United Kingdom, and Germany,” she said. “Living and working in a different healthcare system gave me invaluable insights that I’ll take back to my practice in the U.S.”
McCully emphasized that international clinical experiences help shape more well-rounded and open-minded clinicians.
“Healthcare students are in a moldable position,” she said. “Being exposed to different methods of care helps us learn what it truly means to provide excellent patient care across cultures.”
The week also featured academic exchanges, including lectures on gender diversity in healthcare, a tour of Nijmegen’s approach to urban health and homelessness, and a visit to Arnhem’s elderly care facilities and Rijnstate Hospital. The experience culminated in a mini-symposium hosted at HAN University of Applied Sciences.
“One of my personal highlights was when Amy Donaldson-Perrot, Program Director at City/St. George’s University in London, publicly praised our students for their professionalism and excellence,” Valentin said. “It was powerful to hear such feedback from an international colleague — and reaffirmed what we already knew about the caliber of our students.”
As the Department of Physician Assistant Studies looks ahead, Valentin confirmed the exchange will likely expand in the coming years.
“Our goal is to continue building sustainable partnerships abroad so that more students can experience the richness of healthcare across borders,” she said.
For students like Shand and Leathers, the experience wasn’t just about international travel — it was about building a better version of themselves as future providers.
“These opportunities reshape the lens through which you treat patients,” Leathers said. “They foster empathy, cultural awareness, and purpose — which ultimately benefits the communities we return to serve.”
PA 50th Anniversary Gala
Join us in the Physician Assistant Studies Department as we celebrate our 50th anniversary! On Saturday, Oct. 25, we are hosting a gala event to commemorate the occasion — purchase tickets and RSVP here (early bird pricing ends Sept. 15).