Zane Tranmer is a new graduate of the MSU PA program. On Friday, December 15, he received a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies at Missouri State University with the Class of 2023. Classmates describe him as “adventurous, kind, bright, confident, genuine, and a jokester.” Preceptors shared, “Zane wowed me from day 1 with his medical knowledge and presentation skills. He was a joy to have in the office and I would eagerly hire him.” “Zane is easily in my top 10% of students that I have precepted including medical students, PAs and NPs throughout my career.”

Read our interview with Zane to find out more about his journey to PA education, his experience in the program, and advice to prospective students.

Hometown: Strafford Mo

Degree: Missouri State University major-Biology, minor-Chemistry

Previous Healthcare experience:

Psychiatric Technician: Entry level position in which I worked hands on with patients admitted to an inpatient psychiatric service. I monitored behaviors and intervened when necessary as well as designed and implemented therapeutic programming for the patients.

Interesting Fact: I am an avid sit-com lover and am happy to quote with anyone.

Why did I decide to become a PA?

I decided to be a PA because I care deeply about expanding access to healthcare and I believe that the Physician Assistant is the perfect role to do that quickly and effectively.

Describe your experience so far in the program. 

PA school has been a wild, difficult, amazing ride. Throughout the last two years I have learned more than I thought possible and grown close to strangers I now think of as family. PA school is structured to challenge us, to bring out the best in us, to find our limits, and I experienced that firsthand. My favorite part has been learning the nuances of medicine from many different providers and melding them into my own unique practice.

Most recent clinical rotation: I just completed my elective rotation in Sports Medicine.

What do you like best about Missouri State’s PA program?

The best part of MSU PA is the tried-and-true process that the faculty has implemented for our education. We are often told to “Trust the process,” a phrase I did not initially understand, but, with the finish line in sight, I can see that “the process” is built to transform us into great providers.

Do you have any advice for prospective PA students? Any helpful tips to prepare for PA education?

Know why you want to go into medicine before getting into PA school. Interests may change throughout your education, but your motivation needs to be steadfast as it will be tested at various points in the program.

What specialty or career goals do you want to pursue?

I don’t yet know what specialty I want to go into. I came into school convinced I wanted to do surgery but fell in love with family practice. I loved the long-term connections and the complexity of the cases seen in family practice. I may specialize later in my career, but I want to continue to work on my general knowledge for a while first.