By: Erik Pedersen, Content Strategy Director
BALTIMORE – Maham Dasti is a member of the inaugural cohort of Notre Dame of Maryland University’s Physician Assistant Studies master’s program, which launched in fall 2023 and is set to see its first group of students begin clinical rotations this January.
Dasti was inspired to join the profession several years ago after observing the caring, personalized support that a family member received from PAs working in an Intensive Care Unit. The opportunity to stay close to home spurred her initial interest in applying to Notre Dame. After meeting with faculty members and seeing firsthand their passion for both the PA program and the profession as a whole, she knew that NDMU was where she wanted to continue her academic journey.
Learn more below, as Dasti shares her path to PA school, her experiences in her first 12 months as a student at NDMU, and her message to those interested in becoming a physician assistant:
When did you realize that you wanted to become a physician’s assistant, and what steps did you take to set yourself up for applying to PA school?
I always wanted to work in some kind of medical field. Years ago, I went to visit my grandfather in the ICU after he was diagnosed with end-stage liver disease. The care that he received from the PAs who took care of him was amazing. They made my family and I feel comforted and cared for, and I wanted to serve patients in a similar way someday.
After graduating from the University of Maryland with my bachelor’s degree in public health science, I started working as a medical assistant. I did that for two years at an internal medicine practice. I learned a lot there. I worked with a lot of PAs, and I got to see what their role really is. They showed me a lot of things, and they let me observe patient encounters. It was a great to see what they do on a day-to-day level.
I worked that job during COVID, which was a real challenge, but it also allowed me to see how PAs stepped up to support others during a pandemic. After getting married, I started the application process for applying to PA schools, and I began working as a medical scribe to continue getting my required prerequisite hours. That job allowed me to see the documentation side of patient encounters.
What inspired you to apply to Notre Dame’s PA program?
I was happy to learn that a new program was starting up in the area. I live nearby, and attending NDMU would mean that I didn’t have to move out of state for school. I was really excited to get an interview invite from Notre Dame. Once I started interviewing, I realized also that I really liked the faculty. They were all so welcoming and supportive throughout the process.
Was there any nervousness associated with being a part of the PA program’s inaugural cohort?
There was a bit of nervousness, but the faculty gave me the reassurance I needed. All of the faculty who started the program here have had experience working in other programs and in other states. It was clear that they knew what they were doing, and that they’ve all done this before.
They also really highlighted how our cohort was the inaugural class, making it feel like a special occasion. The faculty have done a great job getting us through our didactic year. Professors Jennifer Norris and Tyler McCauley in particular have been essential in guiding me through my first year at Notre Dame.
Are you close with the rest of your cohort? How have you all supported each other through your first 12 months in the PA program?
Everyone has been really close since the beginning. We’ve all been on campus during the winter and summer months when most other classes aren’t in session, which helped bring us together. It’s been really nice to get to know everybody, and to know that we all have the same goal in mind.
Everybody is friendly and helpful. We just want to see each other succeed, and we all have the same passion and drive. A big advantage of our program’s class size is that it allows for 1-on-1 connections with not only the professors, but also with everyone else in the cohort. When we work together as a team, it just makes the whole experience better in general.
How will your clinical rotations be set up, and how is the PA program helping to prepare you for those experiences?
We will have eight rotations, and each one of them is six weeks long. Throughout our didactic year coursework, we’ve been gaining knowledge on working with patients and learning about what to do in terms of testing and treating them. Our clinicals are all about getting hands-on experience for that.
We will be matched with a preceptor at every site. Our clinical director, Dr. Wendy Riekers, she’s working really hard to match each student to sites where she thinks they would excel based on their personalities. All of the sites are within a 50 mile radius of the campus, which will be really helpful.
Over the summer, we took some specialty courses on surgery/ICU, pediatrics, and geriatrics to help us know what to expect on a day-to-day basis for those rotations. When they start, we’re going to be expected to treat every rotation like it’s a job interview. We are also going to have end-of-rotation exams at the end of the six weeks, which we will have to pass before moving on to the next one.
Is there a specific area of medicine that you are hoping to specialize in?
I worked in internal medicine as a medical assistant, so I have a general idea of what PA life would be like in that area. That’s the one that I’m currently most interested in, just because of the work-life balance potential. I also like the fact that in internal medicine you see a wide range of patients on a daily basis rather than just a specialty. For specialty areas, though, I am interested in both surgery and OBGYN. I’ll get a chance to learn more about them once I go on my specific rotations.
Is there any message you would like to individuals who may be looking to apply to NDMU’s Physician Assistant Studies program?
My advice to anyone who is interested in applying is to just go for it. While PA school is challenging, the program at NDMU gives you everything you need to be successful. We’re a close family here, and the faculty members are all caring and genuine. They really care about each student, and their attitude has made me even more passionate about becoming a PA. I always remember that they are all PAs too, and seeing them pour all of their energy into the field makes me want to match that dedication and passion as I prepare to enter the profession.
Established in 1895, Notre Dame of Maryland University (NDMU) is a private, Catholic institution in Baltimore, Maryland, with the mission to educate leaders to transform the world. Notre Dame has been named one of the best "Regional Universities North" by U.S. News & World Report.
