Baylor University’s Robbins College Announces Dr. Meredith Quinene as Inaugural Director of New Physician Assistant Studies Program
Baylor University’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences is pleased to announce the appointment of Meredith Quinene, DHSc, MPAS, PA-C, DFAAPA, as the inaugural director of the University’s recently announced Physician Assistant Studies program.
“We are thrilled to have Dr. Quinene joining our Robbins College team and leading the development of Baylor’s Physician Assistant Studies program,” said Jason R. Carter, PhD, Dean of Robbins College. “Dr. Quinene has significant experience as both an educator and a practitioner with strong involvement in the PA profession and national conversations. Her experiences and joyful spirit make Dr. Quinene an exceptional fit for Baylor University and the launch of this new program.”
Quinene comes to Baylor from UT Health San Antonio’s Master of Physician Assistant Studies program, where she has served since 2015—most recently as Associate Professor and Academic Coordinator. She is a licensed Physician Assistant with experience in a range of medical specialties, including traumatic brain injury and otolaryngology. Quinene serves as Chair of the Physician Assistant Education Association Exam Development Board, as a Board Member for the Physician Assistant Education Association Assessment Advisory Board, and is an elected Texas delegate for the American Academy of Physician Assistants House of Delegates.
A proud Baylor Bear, Quinene earned her Bachelor of Science in Education (cum laude) from Baylor University, Bachelor of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (summa cum laude) from UT Health San Antonio, Master of Physician Assistant Studies from the University of Nebraska Medical Center, and Doctor of Health Science from Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale.
Quinene is delighted to return to Baylor University, where in addition to earning her undergraduate degree, she also participated as a Baylor Songleader, even serving as Captain her senior year. She and her family have been Baylor football season ticket holders since the Floyd Casey years. A soccer, football, and track mom, Quinene enjoys being with her family, cooking, and reading in her spare time—along with cheering on the Bears, of course.
"I am so blessed and excited to return home to Baylor as the inaugural Director of the Physician Assistant Studies program. This is a dream for me, and I look forward to creating new memories in the years to come,” Quinene said. “The Physician Assistant profession is ranked in the top-five by US News and World Report 100 Best Jobs, and it is exciting to have the opportunity to offer this high-demand career path in Baylor’s caring, Christian environment. I am proud to help educate and produce healthcare providers who will fill vital roles in our medical landscape—serving individuals, communities, and the nation as a whole."
The Master of Physician Assistant Studies degree was approved by the Baylor Board of Regents in their May 2023 meeting. Housed in the Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences, this hybrid degree program will develop highly skilled, mindful, and empathetic Physician Assistants who are able to provide optimal care for patients, contribute significantly to team-based care, effectively navigate the complex health care system, and promote wellness in their communities.
Baylor University has applied for Accreditation - Provisional from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) and anticipates matriculating its first class in October 2025, pending achieving Accreditation - Provisional status at the June 2025 ARC-PA meeting. Accreditation - Provisional is an accreditation status granted when the plans and resource allocation, if fully implemented as planned, of a proposed program that has not yet enrolled students appear to demonstrate the program’s ability to meet the ARC-PA Standards or when a program holding accreditation-provisional status appears to demonstrate continued progress in complying with the Standards as it prepares for the graduation of the first class (cohort) of students. The University is preparing to apply for approval of the Master of Physician Assistant Studies by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
ABOUT ROBBINS COLLEGE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SCIENCES AT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
The Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences at Baylor University seeks to prepare leaders in health and quality of life through science, scholarship and innovation. Together, the departments housed within the Robbins College – Communication Sciences and Disorders; Health, Human Performance and Recreation; Human Sciences and Design; Occupational Therapy; Physical Therapy; Public Health; and a number of Army-Baylor graduate programs – promote a team-based approach to transformational education and research, establishing interdisciplinary research collaborations to advance solutions for improving quality of life for individuals, families and communities. For more information, visit the Robbins College website.
ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked Research 1 institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.