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Welcome to the UAB Advanced Surgical Physician Associate Workshop!

About the ASPAW

The ASPAW is a highly selective 1-week intensive surgical training workshop that is sponsored by the UAB Physician Assistant Studies Program and funded by the UAB Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences Department. The program provides comprehensive, hands-on surgical training to a maximum of 18 students that have been personally selected and nominated by their respective programs. The mission of the program is to utilize didactic instruction and an applied surgical pig lab to allow attendees to obtain the knowledge and technical skills needed to succeed in their surgical clinical rotations and prepare them for a career as a surgical PA.

** Please Note: Every year, the application window opens on September 15th and closes on the 3rd Sunday in October. Please revisit the site during this window-period and complete the online application.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Who is eligible? PA students in either the didactic or clinical phase of training.
  • When is it? The workshop is offered annually during the 3rd week of December.
  • Where is it? The workshop is held at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, located in the heart of downtown Birmingham, Alabama.
  • What costs are covered? All supplies, equipment, training materials, housing, and meals are provided to participants at no cost.
  • What costs are not covered? Travel to the workshop and personal expenses are not covered by the ASPAW.

Testimonials

Overview of the UAB ASPAW

Advice from ASPAW Alumni

Alumni Discuss Their New Confidence

Who is Dina DeMarco, ASPAW Program Director?

Alumni Talk About Skills Learned

Alumni Describe their ASPAW Experience

UAB ASPAW Brochure Video

About the Training


About the UAB Physician Associate Studies Program

Founded in 1967, the UAB PA program is the second oldest Physician Associate Studies program in the country and one of very few programs with a focused surgical curriculum. The UAB PA program is located in the School of Health Professions (SHP), in the Department of Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences (CDS), and is an integral part of the UAB medical and academic community.

With our surgically focused core curriculum and surgical facilities, we provide attendees direct, hands-on experiences utilizing state-of-the art resources.

Questions? Email Dina DeMarco, MSPAS, PA-C ddemarco@uab.edu