Scholarship in honor of Douglas Howell, PA-C

Please help us honor Douglas Howell's remarkable impact on the Wayne State University Physician Assistant program by making a donation to create the Douglas Howell Expendable Scholarship in the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. 

The WSU Physician Assistant Studies program is working to ensure all that Doug has contributed to the program continues to inspire and motivate Physician Assistant students of the future. Doug has helped so many PAs students grow into excellent providers and we want to honor future students who represent all that Doug is and has been as a Physician Assistant, educator, mentor, leader, speaker, Veteran, colleague, professor, and friend. Even as he steps into his retirement journey, Doug's passion, loyalty, devotion, kindness, determination, and love for people and the PA profession is timeless and will forever live in the heart of the Physician Assistant Studies program at Wayne State University. We hope that those whose lives have been impacted by his dedication and mentorship can help us to build a scholarship that will help support PA students who exemplify all that Doug represents in the WSU PA program and the PA profession.

Who is Doug? Doug Howell has not only served as a professor in the Physician Assistant Studies program at Wayne State University for many years, but also served as a Fleet Marine Force Corpsman with the United States Marine Corps Special Landing Force from 1965-1968. Doug served in Vietnam from 1966-1967 and he was awarded the Purple Heart, combat action, Presidential Unit award, and Vietnam Presidential Unit Commendation. 

Doug started his Physician Assistant journey after graduating from Johns Hopkins University in 1977. He worked as a PA in disciplines including Family Practice, Nephrology, Ob/GYN, Prison Medicine, Sports Medicine, Urgent Care, and Occupational Medicine for nearly 40 years in Maryland, New York, and Detroit. Throughout his 20+ years of service to Wayne State University, Doug served as a clinical preceptor and lecturer for the Physician Assistant Studies curriculum and then continued to serve as a professor in the program after retirement from clinical practice. Doug worked to ensure excellence in the foundational skills, knowledge, and expertise of PAs of the future. He has worked collaboratively with the faculty at WSU to deliver students the most advanced training in physical exam skills, obtaining patient history, clinical skill application, clinical diagnostics, patient care, and much more. He enjoys story-telling and is an avid long-distance runner, having completed 12 marathons and counting. He has combined his passion for running and supporting veterans by establishing 4Star4Mile Race as part of the Veterans Day celebration in Detroit. 

Doug is also an author: his book, "The Night is Dark and I am Far From Home," captures the raw emotion of reconciling his past in Vietnam with the present. He is a renowned lecturer across the state and continues to give back to his community and country in countless ways, including but not limited to PA mentorship and community service in Veteran affairs organizations. 

Doug is married and has two sons, four grandchildren, and a dog. He currently lives in St. Clair Shores. 

May this reach anyone who has learned from Doug the virtues of devotion, human connection, compassion for life, motivation for medicine, commitment to the PA profession, the honor of veterans, honor of one's country, service to one's country, service for others, hard work, safety and protection of patients, "putting your brain in your fingertips," or the sacrifices of wearing your heart on your sleeve. To anyone who has never met or heard of Doug, know that the excellence of WSU Physician Assistant Alumni for many years has been impacted of Doug's devotion to education, mentorship, and guidance in the PA profession. In good hands are the patients who are blessed to have providers mentored by Doug Howell, PA-C.

Thank you for your support,  

WSU PAS Class of 2022 

If the minimum funding level is not reached, the University will not establish the named fund, but will instead use the funds for a purpose as close as possible to the original intent of the donors, which is scholarships to students in the Physician Assistant Studies program.