News

SIU PA Program National Medical Challenge Bowl Champions

Published Date:

After winning its third consecutive Illinois Academy of Physician Assistants State Medical Challenge Bowl in April, on May 17, the SIU Physician Assistant Program Medical Challenge Bowl team won the national championship held at the American Academy of Physician Assistants conference in Las Vegas. The SIU team competed against 82 other universities in the tournament.

The SIU team is coached by Don Diemer,  DHSc, PA-C, PA program director. Teammates include Erin Browne, Morgan Rakers, and Joeli Diemer, as well as alternate Alexandra Spillman. Joe Mork also attended as a backup Challenge Bowl team member.  

“We are so proud of our students, who consistently score higher on national tests, and who, obviously, know their stuff when the pressure is on,” said Laurie Dunn-Ryznyk, associate director for the program. 

More from SIU News

Dr. Judy Davie in her lab in Carbondale

From lab to lecture hall, Dr. Judy Davie champions future scientists

Dr. Judy Davie has built a career grounded in discovery, collaboration and mentorship, studying how genes guide muscle development and how cancers disrupt those processes.
Roland and Linda Folse

Generosity as an art form

SIU School of Medicine’s 2025 Distinguished Donors of the Year are a remarkable couple whose unwavering generosity and passion have left a lasting imprint on the school and the region.
Phil Jensik's lab in Carbondale

Major grant boosts SIU’s genetic therapy research

In a laboratory at SIU School of Medicine in Carbondale, scientists are working quietly toward a future that could change the outlook for families affected by rare neurodevelopmental disorders.