How a Founding Dean Is Rethinking Clinical Education at the Edge of Silicon Valley with Dr. Amy Bronson
Episode Description
How a Founding Dean Is Rethinking Clinical Education at the Edge of Silicon Valley — with Dr. Amy Bronson, Pepperdine University
Most episodes of The Early Hires feature clinicians who stepped inside a startup. This one takes a different angle. Dr. Amy Bronson is the founding dean of Pepperdine University’s brand-new School of Physician Assistant Studies — designing a clinical program from a blank page, at the edge of Silicon Valley, at the exact moment AI is rewriting what clinical competency means. She and Helen talk about what a clinician actually needs to know for the world they’re entering: how to teach critical thinking and AI literacy as real competencies, why business fundamentals belong in clinical training, and what startup clinical leaders can do on Monday with the new grads they’re hiring. A builder’s view from the architect’s seat.
Dr. Amy Bronson has spent more than fifteen years as a physician assistant specializing in ENT, plastics, and reconstructive surgery. She is also a researcher, TEDx speaker, educator, and multi‑time founding program leader. Today she serves as the founding dean of Pepperdine University’s new Physician Assistant program in Malibu, California, where she is designing curriculum, culture, and competencies from a blank page.
This episode is for clinicians working inside startups, educators rethinking healthcare training, and leaders preparing teams for a healthcare system that is changing faster than traditional models can support.
Join the AIMed Conference! Code: ABPA15 (15% off of the conference price)
* Pepperdine University, Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MSPAS) has applied for Accreditation - Provisional from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). The MSPAS program anticipates matriculating its first class in September 2027 pending achieving Accreditation - Provisional status at the April 2027 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. If the MSPAS program does not achieve Accreditation - Provisional status, the program will not commence, and students will not matriculate. Accepted students will be refunded for any deposits or tuition paid. Application fees are not refundable.
The MSPAS program at Pepperdine University has been approved by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College & University Commission (WSCUC).
Must-Hear Insights and Key Moments
- Building without a playbook is becoming a core leadership skill in modern healthcare education
- Clinicians do not need to feel fully prepared before stepping into innovation and leadership roles
- Dr. Amy Bronson has served as a founding faculty member, founding program director, and now founding dean building PA programs from the ground up.
- AI literacy is now part of clinical literacy, not a separate technical specialty
- Curiosity and systems thinking help clinicians bridge gaps between healthcare, technology, and business
- The future of medical education depends on embedding AI and systems thinking across curriculum, not isolating it into one course
- Clinical reasoning skills matter more, not less, in an AI-enabled healthcare environment
- Healthcare organizations need clinicians involved early in technology design, governance, and implementation
- New graduates thrive in environments that provide mentorship, support, leadership development, and space to continue learning
- Amy is designing Pepperdine’s first PA program with AI literacy, systems thinking, and clinical reasoning embedded throughout the curriculum
Mentioned in the episode:
- Pepperdine University’s School of Physician Assistant Studies - https://healthscience.pepperdine.edu/school-of-physician-assistant-studies/
- Join the AIMed Conference! Code: ABPA15 (15% off of the conference price)
About Dr. Amy Bronson
Dr. Amy Bronson, EdD, PA-C with more than fifteen years of clinical experience in ENT, plastics, and reconstructive surgery. Beyond practice, she has built a career as a researcher, TEDx speaker, educator, and multi‑time founding program director. She holds a doctorate in educational leadership and an advanced certification in AI and medicine from the American Board of Artificial Intelligence and Medicine.
Her leadership includes serving as principal investigator on federally funded research totaling more than $2.5 million and directing new PA programs that bridged care gaps in rural Colorado. Today, she is the founding dean of Pepperdine University’s School of Physician Assistant Studies in Malibu, California.
Dr. Amy Bronson’s work centers on designing curriculum, and competencies from a blank page, preparing clinicians for a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape. She emphasizes system literacy and interprofessional collaboration that extends beyond medicine. Her philosophy is rooted in education advocacy and equipping clinicians to thrive in any environment.
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