Turning a Passion into Practice

Riley Gerber
Student - Physician Assistant
Penn State College of Medicine

When Riley Gerber began applying to physician assistant programs, he knew the competition would be intense. With thousands of applicants vying for limited seats, he looked for a program that combined academic rigor with a strong sense of support.

Penn State College of Medicine stood out.

“It was clear to me that the faculty were here to make us better people and prepare us to be the best PAs we could be,” Gerber said.

As part of a large academic institution, Gerber benefited from a broad range of learning opportunities. Choosing Penn State wasn’t just about earning a degree, it was about finding a place where his passion for medicine could thrive by learning from diverse perspectives and interacting with faculty, residents and attendings.

“I had the benefit of learning from many different viewpoints, which you don’t always get at smaller programs,” he said.

Now, as he prepares to graduate from the Physician Assistant Program and begin his career practicing at Penn State Health Medical Group – Cocoa, Gerber is ready to make a meaningful impact in the field of health care.

It’s stories like these that drive our purpose.