PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT

Graduated in 2004
Founder, Gretchen’s Place

Q: Why did you choose WSU? 

A: Wayne State University was at the top of my list of PA schools because of the positive reviews about the program, the fact it was in the city of Detroit, offering the opportunity to learn in a diverse community.

Q: What inspired you to pursue this career?

A: I always wanted to help people and health care was my area of focus. It wasn't until I had explored other fields like physical therapy and nursing that I came across the PA profession. It was exactly what would fulfill my desire to pursue a career in helping others in the medical field.

Q: What was your most challenging class?

A: Pharmacology — learning all the medications and remembering them was such a challenge. It took a lot of group studying and notecards to understand them.

Q: In your opinion, what is one of the biggest changes that has occurred in your profession since graduating?

A: One of the biggest changes is that there are many more programs and many more PAs working in the field. There is a much larger appreciation for the profession and what we do. The opioid epidemic and COVID are two major hits in health care that ultimately gave PAs the opportunity to do more and stand out more in the field.

Q: Who was your most memorable instructor?

A: Stephanie Gilkey stands out the most. I remember her welcoming energy and her overall care for the profession. She really made sure we were prepared to get into the world and practice as well-rounded PAs. She was understanding and listened whenever I had issues of concern. Her dedication to the field inspired me to pursue being involved in my community after graduation.

Q: Tell us about your WSU experience.

A: My time at Wayne State in the Physician Assistant Studies program was one of the most stressful times in my life. I was excited to be in the program and pursue the career, but life happened to me while in the program. My dad's health started declining and he ended up in the hospital with heart failure, eventually having to live with my family until we could find him stable housing. My husband was suspended without pay from his job as I started the program in spring 2004. Life was just happening. My drives into campus, my class time, study sessions, site visits, and drives home were all very challenging during my first semester in the program. Through my faith, my family support, and the will to push ahead, I was excited to make it through that first semester. At the start of my didactic year, my dad's health was much better and my husband's suspension was lifted with full back-pay.

Q: Tell us more about your career.

A: I started my career in surgery at Sinai Grace and I had a passion for procedures. I would moonlight in the ED from time to time, so when an opportunity opened for me at St. Joseph Mercy in Ann Arbor, I took it. I eventually went into cardiothoracic surgery, which was more my speed because of more procedures and more hands-on time with my patients. 

 Life happened after I had been on the CT surgery service and my career took a complete 180-degree turn. My husband Patrick Hill, a Detroit Police Officer, was injured in the line of duty in April 2013. He was in the hospital for six months before he passed on October 19, 2013. This was a game changer. I took two years off to gather my thoughts and figure out what was next. 

 When I started working again, I took a job in an addiction medicine clinic. Honestly, I only took the job because of the hours. But once I started working in it, I realized it was a ministry. I fell in love with helping people navigate through addiction and finding themselves. This led me to opening my own practice and starting the nonprofit Gretchen’s Place, a mental health, substance abuse and primary care clinic in Belleville, Michigan. I am passionate about trying to help people improve their health in the presence of adverse circumstances. I want to do my part to make the world a better place one person at a time.

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The Physician Assistant Studies master of science degree program at the Wayne State University Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is focused on the development of highly competent and passionate physician assistants who are deeply committed to practicing in urban and underserved health care settings. It is the highest ranking program in Michigan and among the top 50 programs in the nation, as ranked by U.S. News & World Report for 2023-24. The admission cycle runs from May 1-Sept. 1 for classes beginning the following May. Prospective students can get started by attending a WSU Applebaum information meeting at 6 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month. 

An anchor in urban health care

The Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is built on more than 100 years of tradition and innovation in the heart of Detroit. We have grown deep roots in our city, harnessing its powerhouse hospital systems and community service organizations as vibrant, real-world training grounds for students, with an ongoing focus on social justice in health care. And our research at all levels – from undergraduates to veteran faculty members – translates into creative solutions for healthier communities.

Wayne State University is a premier urban research institution offering approximately 350 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to nearly 24,000 students.