Donna Murray

Position:

Capstone Advisor, DMS Program

Email: donna.murray@su.edu

Educational History:

DMSc, University of Lynchburg, ’20, PA Training, Yale University School of Medicine Physician Associate Program,’96, MS, Microbiology, Howard University’ 83, BS, Medical Technology, Howard University, ’81

Fields of Expertise:

Teaching the impact of social determinants of health on marginalized communities
Mentorship, recruitment, and retention of PA Students

Professional Highlights:

Donna F. Murray, DMSc., MS, PA-C is a 44-year veteran in healthcare services and has served high health disparities and underserved communities in New York City, Connecticut, Washington, DC, Northern Virginia, and North Carolina. During her career, Dr. Murray founded two major healthcare initiatives. In 1992 she founded the African American Miracle Match Network which was designed to increase the number of minorities on the National Bone Marrow Registry. In 1999 Dr. Murray founded Project HealthShare, Inc. /Charlotte Volunteers in Medicine Clinic which provided health education, screening, and primary care to residents of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.

Most recently Dr. Murray served in the role of Senior Director of Admissions/CASPA for the PA Education Association. During her time at PAEA, she created several recruitment initiatives that created new pathways to the PA Profession for Pre-PAs, particularly those who are underrepresented in Medicine. Her passion for recruitment of URiM students and holistic admissions in PA education led to her appointment in 2023 as the staff partner to the PAEA Presidents Commission and the publication focusing on holistic admissions. Before her time with PAEA, She was the founding Director of Clinical Education at Lenoir-Rhyne University, College of Health Sciences, Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies Program. Currently, Dr. Murray serves as the Founding Director of Student Scholarship and Admissions for the North Carolina A&T State University PA Studies Program. She is also a practicing clinician and philanthropist who resides in Charlotte, NC.

Research:

Compassion Cultivation Training in PA Education: Can Compassion be Taught?
Murray, Donna F, MS, PA-C
Lynchburg Journal: June 2020-Vol 2 issue 3

Snyder, Jennifer PhD, PA-C; Alexander, Lisa Mustone EdD, MPH, PA-C; Statler, Michel DMSc, PA-C; Straker, Howard EdD, MPH, PA-C; Bowser, Jonathan MS, PA-C; Caruthers, Kara MSPAS, PA-C; Murray, Donna DMSc, MS, PA-C; Alesbury, Elizabeth BA. Time to Pivot: A Guide to Holistic Admissions. The Journal of Physician Assistant Education 35(1):p 43-51, March 2024. | DOI: 10.1097/JPA.0000000000000569