Muhammad Jan, a second-year student in the UAB School of Health Professions' Physician Assistant Studies program, has been selected by the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA) for the 2021-2022 Future Educator Fellowship. The fellowship is a yearlong program that is designed to enhance students’ foundation in PA education and foster them to be learners, citizens, leaders and more.
He is one of only 15 chosen from the entire country for the prestigious position.
“My parents emphasized the importance of education after we immigrated to America. They said it was the only thing that could never be taken from you. I internalized this idea and made education a core pillar in my life,” said Jan, who came to the U.S. from Pakistan with his family in 2002. “Through this fellowship, I will be able to extend this pillar to others, while learning and experiencing what it means to be an impactful Future PA educator. It is an incredible honor, and I would like to thank UAB PA faculty for their continued support. Also, thank you to the PAEA for this wonderful opportunity.”
Jan is a 2018 alumnus of our B.S. in Biomedical Sciences program and a member of the first cohort to complete the UABTeach program. This is a partnership that trains students to be instructors in STEM subjects and allows them to earn their full teaching certification in four years at no extra cost. In 2019, Jan taught Biology to ninth graders at Woodlawn High School, part of Birmingham City Schools (click here to read a story about his experience), before returning to UAB the following year to join the PA program.
Each year, the Student Future Educator Fellowship intensive is a three-day event during the PAEA Education Forum. The students will focus on educational programming, problems and competencies this year’s event, which will be held virtually October 11 – 15, 2021. Following the intensive, the students have unlimited access to a network of mentors and educators.
Jan is the third UAB PA student named a PAEA Fellow joining Erin Dorman (2018-19) and Amber Rohrberg (2020-21).
