Rate My Professor Jennifer Snyder

Jennifer Snyder is a tenured Professor and Executive Associate Dean of Academic and Administrative Services in the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at Butler University. She earned a BS in Biology from Ball State University in 1992, a BS in Physician Assistant Studies from Butler University in 1997, an MPAS from the University of Nebraska in 1998, and a PhD in Health Sciences from Nova Southeastern University in 2014, with a dissertation titled Investigation of Physician Assistants’ Choice of Rural or Underserved Practice and Framing Methods of Recruitment and Retention. Her clinical experience includes practice in family and emergency medicine as a physician assistant. Snyder joined Butler University in the early 2000s as a clinical coordinator and assistant professor, focusing on didactic education in the Physician Assistant Program. She advanced to PA Program Director from 2015 to 2018 and Chair of the Department of PA Studies from 2016 to 2018, followed by Chair of the Department of Medical Sciences in 2019. In 2020, she became Associate Dean, contributing to the development of the Doctor of Medical Science program, including concentrations in Orthopedic Surgery, Critical Care, PA Educator certification, Bridge DMS, Nurse Educator certificate, Transition of Clinical Practice program, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Online Pharmacy Program, and Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences. She has educated over 875 PA students and more than 100 post-professional doctoral PA students.

Snyder's research interests center on physician assistant education, including holistic admissions, diversity and accreditation standards, admissions processes, workforce pipeline, entrance exams, educational reforms, core competencies, student assessments, noncognitive attributes, and educational debt impacts. She has authored nearly 30 peer-reviewed publications, including Time to Pivot: A Guide to Holistic Admissions (2024), Meeting the Accreditation Standard for Diversity (2023), Pipeline to the Physician Assistant Profession: A Look to the Future (2022), Reflections on a Physician Assistant Entrance Exam: Does the Profession Need One? (2021), Reimagining Physician Assistant Education (2020), Using the Core Competencies for New Physician Assistant Graduates to Prioritize Admission Criteria for PA Practice in 2025 (2019), Use of Moulage to Evaluate Student Assessment of Skin in an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (2018), and Educational Debt: Does It Have an Influence on Initial Job Location and Specialty Choice? (2014). She serves as a peer reviewer for the Journal of Physician Assistant Education, Medical Education Online, and PLOS ONE. Snyder has held leadership roles such as President of the Physician Assistant Education Association (2016), board member (2013-2017), President of the Indiana Academy of PAs (2001), and delegate to the American Academy of PAs House of Delegates. She has volunteered as a site visitor for the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (2010-2012) and the Higher Learning Commission (2020-present). Her awards include Butler University PA Class Faculty of the Year (2009), Student Academy of AAPA President’s Award (2011), PAEA Master Faculty of the Year (2019), Butler University Scholarship Star (2020-2021), Faculty All Star (2021-2022), and Distinguished Fellow of the AAPA.