Greg Davenport, DHSc, PA-C, has built an extraordinary career defined by his commitment to service and medical care in some of the world’s most challenging environments. From military service to humanitarian missions in disaster zones, from pioneering physician assistant (PA) education to authoring definitive works on wilderness survival, Davenport’s professional journey exemplifies his motto: “service through medicine.”
Contributions to the PA Profession
Greg Davenport stands out as a remarkable figure in PA education, having accomplished the rare feat of building three PA programs from scratch through ARC-PA and regional accreditation. His educational leadership extended to developing the University of Lynchburg’s emergency management and global health doctor of medical science (DMSc) concentration, drawing on his extensive field experience. As an educator, Davenport has shaped countless PA professionals while emphasizing humanitarian service as a core value of the profession.
Beyond his academic contributions, Davenport has advanced the PA profession through his work in underserved areas, often serving as the only medical provider within a 60-mile radius. His disaster response work and global health initiatives have expanded the visibility and impact of PAs in humanitarian settings. Through his AAPA-approved continuing medical education courses and academic research, he continues to enhance the profession’s knowledge base, particularly in disaster medicine and global health.
Military Service and Early Career
Davenport’s path to becoming a PA began with military service. He joined the United States Air Force in 1982, initially serving as a medic. He later transitioned to a tri-service position focused on combat casualty care before cross-training as a Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) Specialist in the Personal Recovery career field. This specialized training had an extraordinarily high attrition rate of 85%, making his successful completion a significant achievement.
In July 1990, Davenport’s second child was born with significant special needs. By 1991, he realized his military position, which required him to be away for six months each year, would prevent him from participating in his daughter’s care. This realization led to his honorable discharge from the military in August 1991.
Before separating from service, Davenport researched career options that would allow him to continue his commitment to service while meeting his family’s needs. The PA profession seemed an ideal fit. He applied to the University of Washington MEDEX program in Seattle and was accepted. After graduating in 1993, true to his service orientation, Davenport worked in underserved populations and areas, often serving as the only medical provider within a 60-mile radius.
Professional Accomplishments
Davenport’s career demonstrates remarkable breadth and depth. After 15 years of practice as a certified PA, he continued his education, completing bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees. His academic career includes faculty positions at multiple institutions, including in the doctor of medical science program at the University of Lynchburg and at the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine.
As a PA educator, Davenport has served as program director for three distinct PA programs he built from conception through accreditation. He developed the first emergency management and global health concentration within a doctor of medical science program and created a disaster medicine certificate program. His educational innovations have shaped how PAs are trained to respond to emergencies and global health challenges.
Davenport’s expertise in wilderness survival and medicine led him to author six published books on the subject, including “Wilderness Survival,” “Advanced Outdoor Navigation,” “Surviving the Desert,” “Surviving Coastal & Open Waters,” “Surviving Cold Weather,” and “Wilderness Living.” These works have established him as a leading authority in the field.
Major media outlets have sought his knowledge, and he has appeared as a survival and wilderness medicine expert on programs including ABC’s Primetime, NBC’s Today Show, CBS Evening News, Fox News, and numerous local television and radio stations. He has also conducted multi-city speaking tours and hosted television programs focused on survival techniques.
Humanitarian Work
Perhaps the most defining aspect of Davenport’s career is his commitment to humanitarian service in disaster zones and underserved regions worldwide. As a supporting member of NYC Medics and the World Health Organization, he has provided high-risk medical care in areas of acute crisis, including:
- Serving on front-line “trauma stabilization” teams in Hawija and Mosul, Iraq
- Providing emergency medical care in Nepal within days of a 7.8 magnitude earthquake
- Responding to the aftermath of a category 5 cyclone in the Vanuatu Islands
Greg Davenport has also established medical care in remote villages in Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Honduras, Haiti, and India. His work with “PA Students Without Borders” has extended medical care to underserved populations while training the next generation of humanitarian-minded PAs.
Current Activities
Though semi-retired from clinical practice in the United States, Davenport remains actively engaged in medical education and emergency preparedness. He is an adjunct professor at the Southern Illinois University Medical School, teaching global health and disaster medicine courses.
As the owner of Prepared Service, LLC, Davenport develops comprehensive AAPA-accredited Category I CME courses based on his 43 years of field experience. His first course, “Disaster Response for Medical Professionals,” provides 25 hours of Category I CME and additional Category II CME hours.
Personal Philosophy
When asked about his most significant contributions to the PA profession, Davenport cites building three PA programs, supporting the development of the first doctor of medical science program, creating the emergency management and global health concentration, and mentoring PA student organizations in disaster response and global health.
Greg Davenport’s motto, “service through medicine,” encapsulates his approach to his career and life. Despite facing numerous challenges, including a near-death experience in early 2025 that forced him to step back from disaster and global health response trips, he continues to seek ways to serve others through medical education and expertise.
Through his multifaceted career, Gregory Davenport has exemplified the highest ideals of the physician assistant profession, extending its reach into some of the world’s most challenging environments and inspiring others to pursue “service through medicine” as a guiding principle.
Also see Dr. Davenport’s December 18, 2023 MasterClass Interview by clicking here.
Acknowledgments
This biography was written by Randy Danielsen with the assistance of Greg Davenport. It was submitted to the Society in May 2025. All photographs are courtesy of Dr. Davenport.
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