Michelle McWeeney, PhD, PA-C

Assistant Professor
Department of Physician Assistant

My path to being a Physician Assistant educator evolved after many years of experiences as a clinical PA that inspired me to teach future generations of clinicians. Since graduating from the UMDNJ PA program in 1999, my career began in primary care in the Department of Family Medicine at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School/Catholic Charities Family Health Center. There, my passion for caring for underserved populations blossomed, while also mentoring medical students and PA students. As I spent more time teaching students in this unique clinical setting, my enthusiasm became twofold; providing the underserved with the most comprehensive quality care and modeling care and compassion for this population to students who would soon be my colleagues. I was the first PA in the state of New Jersey to be accepted into the Primary Care Loan Redemption Program which promoted access to primary care services in medically underserved areas. It was in this position as well as in my current position as a Primary care PA where I have gained tremendous knowledge and experience in Geriatrics, Pediatrics, chronic disease management, Hematology, Dermatology, and Women’s health.

I enjoy teaching several courses throughout the PA program, including the introductory course in the program where I help students learn how to take a history and physical. I also teach courses where I help students learn how to formulate a differential diagnosis, assessment, and plan, and work on their critical thinking skills. In addition, I help teach a course to prepare students to pass the PA National Certifying Exam (PANCE).

As co-chair of the Student Performance Review Committee (SPRC) and as chair of the PA program-based Student Success Committee, I have honed the skills to increase student achievement. This service is integral to PA student retention in the program.

In 2020, I completed my doctoral degree in Higher Education and Leadership. Since this achievement, I have begun focusing more energy on research within the PA department and Seton Hall University. I am teaming up with other experienced faculty colleagues while also sticking to my true passion of mentoring by assisting junior faculty and students with their own research. I am excited and inspired that my colleagues and I have several accepted research works for upcoming publication. My current focus is on designing a simulation-based research study within the PA program.