Skip to content
  • Trustee Login
  • Associate Login
  • Trustee Login
  • Associate Login
  • Trustee Login
  • Associate Login
PA logo
DONATE

search

  • About The Society

    Who Are We

    Dedicated to the history and legacy of the physician assistant profession

    Collection Description

    Chronicles the development of various professional organizations

    Founding Members

    Individuals who joined us during our first year

    Mission, Vision & Values

    Learn about our mission, vision & values

    PA Veterans Garden

    Visit the McElligott PA Veterans Garden

    PAHx History & Projects

    Explore our history and projects

    News & Events

    See what’s new at PAHx
    X icon
  • Information & Links

    Initial State Recognition of Physician Assistants

    Find out when your state started recognizing the PA profession

    Our Associates

    View the Associates of the PA History Society

    Past Presidents of the National Organizations

    View our past presidents

    National Conference

    View the locations & dates for the National Conference

    PA Glossary

    Abbreviations, acronyms & titles associated with the physician assistant profession

    Preserving History

    Find several resources for preserving, documenting & archiving historical documents and materials

    Trivia

    Test your PA history knowledge

    Newsletter

    Read the most recent issue

    Helpful Links

    Find links and additional resources

    Search Options

    View our different search options

  • Illustrated History

    Archival Research

    Use finding aids for our collections

    Biographies

    Read our numerous biographies

    Collection & Exhibits

    Our collection features artwork, artifacts and exhibitions

    Oral Histories

    Listen or watch oral history interviews from PAs or those close to the profession's history

    Research Library & References

    Library collections, books and serials

    Videos

    Our moving image collection includes film and video

    Photos

    Slides, photographs, negatives & others

    Historical Perspectives

    Essays, personal narratives and long articles on aspects of PA history

    PA Timeline

    View important milestones and events

    International PA Timeline

    View international milestones and events

    Historical Highlights

    Orgs that are saving and preserving their history

    Celebrating 50

    PA programs that have celebrated their 50th anniversaries

  • Support The Society

    How To Support Us

    Help our staff work with organizations, institutions, researchers and archivists

    Friends of the Society

    View our friends and find out how to become one

    Our Associates

    Become an active partner

    First Class Photos

    First class photos of our Associates

    PA History Books

    Find out how to order your copy

    PA History Products

    Lapel pins, posters, and art prints

    Become an Active Participant

    Learn how to support us
    X icon
  • Contact

Katherine Hunter Anderson, MD

X icon

In 1968, the newly appointed Director of Allied Health at the Bowman Gray School of Medicine, (now Wake Forest University School of Medicine), Dr. Leland Powers proposed to establish a Pediatric Assistant training program at Bowman Gray. The program would require two years of Liberal Arts college education prior to enrollment and consist of a didactic year of study, followed by a year of clinical preceptorships. The program would be supported by a US Public Health grant and was similar to the pediatric training program at the University of Colorado under the direction of Dr. Henry Silver.   Dr. Anderson, a Pediatrician in the Medical School, friend of Dr. Silver and colleague of Dr. Powers, was asked to help develop the curriculum and become the Medical Director of the new program.  By the time the program accepted its first eight students in 1969, the curriculum was broadened to educate Physician Assistants for generalists and not just pediatricians.

Dr. Anderson was Medical Director in the PA Program at Bowman Gray, until her retirement in 1976. In the early 1970s, Anderson served as a member of the National Board of Medical Examiners’ Committee to develop the first national certification examination for physician assistants.  She also co-authored Introduction to Medical Sciences for Clinical Practice: A Self-Instructional/Tutorial Curriculum which was published in 1976 and used by several developing PA Programs. Anderson remained the PA program director at Wake Forest University from 1969 to her retirement in 1976.

Anderson was born in Union Springs, Alabama.  She graduated from Cornell University and completed a residency there in pediatrics.  She moved to Winston-Salem, NC in 1945 to establish her own private pediatric practice.  She joined the Bowman Gray School of Medicine on a part-time basis for 25 years and in 1968 was appointed to full-time Associate Professor of Pediatrics. During this time, Anderson directed the outpatient services for the Department of Pediatrics.  For thirty-three years she taught medical students, residents and physician assistant students.  She was adored by her students, her patients and faculty colleagues.

Anderson was a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, a member of both the Ambulatory Pediatric Association and the North Carolina Pediatric Society.  She was president of the Forsyth County Medical Society (1968-1969), the first woman to hold this position.  She was a champion for public and rehabilitative health care and an advocate for children’s rights for physical, mental, emotional and social health.  As noted by one of her professional colleagues, “she left a legacy of sanity, a sense of proportion and a willingness to rethink old beliefs and prejudices.”

The PA Student Society at Wake Forrest University is named in her honor and the Katherine H. Anderson Award, established in 1988, is given to a first-year student in recognition of exemplary academic performance and professional growth toward becoming a physician assistant during the pre-clinical year.

Anderson died of cancer in 1978.

Acknowledgments:This Biography was prepared by Reginald Carter with the assistance of Catherine Shull and Nancy Dennis and submitted to the PA History Society in July 2019. The photographs are courtesy of the Wake Forest School of Medicine, Coy C. Carpenter Library, Dorothy Carpenter Medical Archives, Winston-Salem, NC.

References Used: The primary information for this Biography is from a memorial that appeared in the NC Medical Journal in 1979 which was accessed from Digital Forthsyth (NC County, location of Winston-Salem, home of Wake Forest University) at http://www.digitalforsyth.org/photos/7813 and from Clinical Insights in Pediatrics, The Pediatric Assistant, 1968 at https://medspace.mc.duke.edu/concern/documents/8s45q8873?locale=en.

When using information from this biography, please provide the proper citation as described within the PA History Society Terms of Use.

Share:

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email
biography
PA logo
Facebook-f Twitter Instagram

About Us

  • Who Are We
  • Collection Description
  • Founding Members
  • Our Mission, Vision & Values
  • PAHx History & Projects
  • Newsletter

Information

  • Initial State Recognition Of PAs
  • Past Presidents
  • National Conference
  • PA Glossary
  • Preserving History
  • Helpful Links

Support Us

  • How To Support Us
  • Friends Of The Society
  • Our Associates
  • PA History Books

Contact Us

(678) 417-8682

Contactus@pahx.org

12000 Findley Road Suite 100
Johns Creek, GA 30097-1409

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookie Notice
  • Collection Development Policy

© 2023 Physician Assistant History Society® All Rights Reserved