Elyse (edwards) Jan Watkins DHSc, PA-C, DFAAPA

Elyse Watkins, DHSc, PA-C, DFAAPA is an Associate Professor for the Lynchburg DMSc program. She teaches in Evidence Based Medicine, PA 961- 963 Doctoral Project Series, PA 940 Global Health Issues, PA 941 Clinical Issues in Infectious Disease, and PA 942 Social and Behavioral Issues in Global Health.

Dr. Watkins graduated from The George Washington University’s PA program in 1993. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and Sociology and a Master of Science in Health Care Management. She earned her Doctor of Health Science with a concentration in Global Health from Nova Southeastern University in 2016. She was a National Health Service Corps Scholarship recipient and fulfilled her commitment to practice in a Central California migrant clinic in 1995. The majority of her clinical career has been spent working in ob/gyn in the Central Valley of California and has completed medical missions to Guatemala, Tanzania, and southern Mexico.

Dr. Watkins has worked full-time in PA education since 2012. She continues to teach didactic and clinical year PA students as well as DMSc students. Dr. Watkins teaches the Women’s Health module at the University of Lynchburg’s PA Program, and is currently an assistant professor at Florida State University where she teaches the women’s health module and Professional Development for the PA.

She speaks at state, regional, and national CME conferences on women’s health and global health topics, has published several articles in JAAPA, and has written several books and chapters in peer-reviewed clinical books. Dr. Watkins is the JAAPA Women’s Health Department Editor and champions for more PA-authored scholarly manuscripts. She is active in local, state, and national PA organizations. She has also worked with several state and regional organizations to advocate for greater utilization of PAs in obstetrics and gynecology practices.