A Gift to Duke’s Physician Assistant Program

A graduate of the program’s eighth class gives back to the program that inspired his calling

A young Ed Wise in military gear and on the right Ed Wise current day.
Edmund Wise in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War; Edmund Wise today.

This is a summary of a story by Emily Ford on Giving to Duke Health.

In 1965, Eugene A. Stead Jr., the longtime chair of the Department of Medicine, launched the nation’s first physician assistant program in response to a steadily growing need for clinicians.

Today, a graduate of the program’s eighth class and a Vietnam veteran, Edmund Joseph Wise, Jr., credits Duke with opening the door to his 50-year career devoted to patients, students and the physician assistant (PA) profession itself.

Wise has announced he is giving back to Duke with a $7.6 million gift to the program that inspired his calling.

“My life has been defined by the opportunity that Duke gave me,” Wise said. “I have nothing but gratitude for my time there. I wanted to give back to the program that gave me everything in the career I’ve enjoyed so thoroughly.”

Today, Duke has about 180 PA students enrolled across two cohorts each year in the Department of Family Medicine & Community Health and remains focused on preparing primary care providers who will serve communities with the greatest need. Yet, financial barriers often stand in the way.

The gift will be help change that. It will establish a scholarship endowment and provide equipment for the program’s students.

“Ed’s generosity helps move us closer to a future where those expenses are less of a barrier and allows us to invest directly in the tools students need to learn and provide excellent patient care,” said April Stouder, director of the Duke PA program. “Students who benefit from this support will go on to care for patients, serve communities, and shape the profession for years to come. That’s the kind of legacy that keeps growing.”

To learn more about Wise’s gift to the PA program, visit Giving to Duke Health.