Veronica Marciano, DMSc, PA-C, has built her career around a simple but powerful idea, preparing PAs not just to practice medicine, but to serve communities well.
Now, as Program Director of the developing PA program at Elon University in Charlotte, she is helping shape the next generation of PAs in one of North Carolina’s fastest-growing regions.
A Nontraditional Start
Veronica did not take a traditional path into healthcare. After high school, she worked full-time in restaurant management before realizing she wanted more stability and a deeper way to support others.
She began at community college and eventually earned her MS in PA Studies degree from SUNY Stony Brook University in 2010. What drew her to the profession was its flexibility.
“PA gave me the opportunity to reach across specialties. That flexibility mattered.”
She has embraced that flexibility throughout her career, working in multiple specialties to better understand the full patient experience.
Finding Her Home in Critical Care
Veronica started in primary care, transitioned into hospital medicine, and ultimately found her home in critical care, where she practiced for a decade, including several years with HCA Healthcare, in Clearlake TX, one of the largest healthcare organizations in the United States.
Like many providers in high-acuity settings, she experienced the physical and emotional weight of the work.
“As many of us have experienced, I was reaching the extent of my capacity in critical care.”
Rather than stepping away from medicine, she chose to expand her impact.
From Bedside to Program Director
Seven years ago, Veronica moved into academia, serving as principal faculty and later Director of Didactic Education at University of Texas Medical Branch PA Program. In that role, she oversaw curriculum development and accreditation alignment while continuing to practice clinically. During this time, she also completed her doctorate with Southern Illinois University, School of Medicine with a focus in PA education and leadership.
In February of last year, she joined Elon University to lead the development of its new Charlotte-based PA program. After initially working remotely, she relocated and settled into the community she now hopes to serve long term.
“It’s long overdue for Charlotte,” she says. “If you want to keep healthcare workforce in the city, you have to train them here.”
Immersive, Modern, Community-Focused
The Elon Charlotte PA program is intentionally designed to be hands-on and forward thinking. Students will train using high-fidelity simulation labs that allow them to see real-time physiological responses. The program will also feature technology-enhanced anatomy tools that integrate virtual and augmented reality into learning.
“It’s one thing to read about what happens when oxygen drops,” she explains. “It’s another to see how the entire system responds.”
Still, for Veronica, technology is not the most important feature of the program.
“The most important thing to us is that students are truly passionate about service and advocacy.”
The curriculum embeds structured community engagement, quality improvement projects, and advocacy work directly into the didactic experience, ensuring that students understand what it means to serve before they enter practice.
Building the Future of Healthcare in North Carolina
Charlotte’s rapid growth brings opportunity and responsibility. By training PAs locally and rooting them early in the community, Veronica believes the program can help strengthen the region’s healthcare workforce for years to come.
Her journey, from restaurant management to critical care to academic leadership, reflects the adaptability and upward mobility that define the PA profession.
“In order for us to be successful, and successful for the community, we need the right people to find us.”
With her leadership, that future is already beginning to take shape.
Thank you to Veronica for taking the time to share her PA journey!
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Written by Thomas Wellenhofer
NC Academy of PAs Marketing & Communications Coordinator
