Joanna May Service Scholars, Microcredential (Beginning Fall 2026)

The Joanna May Services Scholars (JMSS) is an existing enhanced service experience that PA students at SLU can opt into joining. Currently, all students within the PA Program must complete 24 hours of service and a critical reflection on said work prior to graduation. Service activities are encouraged in domains: 1) service that allows students to explore concepts related to social determinants of health, in order to better serve and understand future patients, and 2) service that supports SLU and the SLU PA program, thus building and supporting our own community. JMSS members are expected to complete a total of fifty community service hours and present a more comprehensive and nuanced overview of their work to peers and faculty at a capstone reception. Experiential service learning and ongoing meetings with the faculty sponsor occur throughout the program.


Highlights of the program include planning and implement a program wide "PA Day of Service," the JMSS Recognition Reception, and other student-led community service opportunities throughout their PA education.

Admission Requirements

For current, active Saint Louis University students wishing to declare a microcredential, complete the Update for Student Curriculum Record form. 

For non-Saint Louis University students, click here to apply as a Visiting/Non-Degree Seeking Student. 

The goals of this microcredential are to:

  1. Bridge theory and practice
  2. Promote social accountability and equity
  3. Enhance professionalism and humanism
  4. Build cultural competence
  5. Encourage reflective practice
  6. Enhance student engagement and motivation

The PA Program has a cohort model, in which each class begins in August and completes coursework together over six semesters.  The Joanna May Service Scholars work within and across cohorts.  Specific duties for each cohort per semester are clarified below.

In the pursuit of attaining the above goals, each student must:

Semester One: 

  • Be admitted to the JMSS program
  • Engage in at least 12 hours of community service
  • Meet one-two times to discuss program and plan service opportunities for the class
  • Participate in the annual PA day of service
  • Complete a two page critical reflection paper in the first semester of the program following the CARE reflection model.(contextualize the experience, articulate what happened, reflect on what you learned, engage in further action)

Semester Two: 

  • Meet monthly to plan service opportunities for the class
  • Continue service work. (This is the most academically challenging semester of the program, and the microcredential expectations are intentionally minimized for this semester.

Semester Three:

  • Meet monthly to plan service opportunities for the class
  • Plan the PA Day of Service
  • Plan the Service Scholars reception
  • Continue service work

Semester Four:

  • Host the Service Scholars reception
  • Host the PA Day of Service
  • Continue service work

Semester Five:

  • Continue service work. This is the first semester of clinical clerkships; expectations are minimized here as in semester two. 

Semester Six:

  1. Present a project highlighting volunteer efforts and reflections at a symposium and recognition reception. Each student presents highlights of their volunteer work as well as their personal reflections on the experience.  Following tenets of Universal Design, each student is allowed to complete this project in the medium they wish. Past examples include videos, posters, and written work. This project is shared at a reception for the service scholars, which has as a further goal the introduction of the program and advantages of service work to the newest cohort of PA students.
  2. Continue service work. Each student must complete 50 hours of service work by the time of graduation. At least some of these hours must be completed with classmates to encourage teamwork and collaboration.

Evaluation of each student occurs through hours logged and the faculty liaison provides formative feedback to each student regarding their reflection paper and project. 

Apply for Admission

Contact Doisy College of Health Sciences
Recruitment specialist
314-977-2570
dchs@health.slu.edu