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Physician assistant thrives in career following GVSU education
March 03, 2025
Mariah Hoff works as a physician assistant for Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services in Traverse City.
In her role, Hoff educates patients about their diagnoses and available medication options. Hoff said she evaluates individuals, provides diagnoses, and collaborates with them to develop a treatment plan.
“My education at Grand Valley State University prepared me with the knowledge and skills to excel in this field,” Hoff said.
Grand Valley’s Physician Assistant Studies (PAS) program takes two and one-half years to complete. The program is divided into sections that follow the systems of the body. All classes in this program are held at the GVSU Traverse City Regional Center via enhanced technology. The program’s second year is spent in a hands-on environment doing clinical rotations with different providers in northern Michigan, applying what we learned in the classroom.
This program has two locations, in Grand Rapids and Traverse City. +
Hoff said she chose the Traverse City campus because it was a smaller group of students who are focused on rural medicine and providing health care to communities in northern Michigan.
“My time at Grand Valley was very family-oriented as my classmates were a tight-knit group. It was nice to have faculty and staff who were also there to support you,” she said. “The faculty made a big difference in my education, and I owe some of my success to them. I found my current job with Pine Rest through a Grand Valley job fair, which are held every semester.”
Hoff said she would highly recommend the PAS program to anyone considering a career in health care. “Hopefully, you’ll graduate feeling as I did — accomplished and ready for your career,” she added.
Hoff is married, and the couple has an 18-month-old son who loves the outdoors. They enjoy swimming, camping, and exploring Traverse City.
By Samantha Drougel