Policymakers speak to Campbell healthcare students

February 5, 2026

Campbell University's College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences hosted a powerful Interprofessional Education panel session titled Advocacy in Action: Interprofessional Perspectives on Health Policy, bringing together students, faculty and healthcare leaders for an in-depth discussion on the role of advocacy in shaping patient care and the future of healthcare professions.

Prior to the panel discussion, a luncheon was held in honor of the panelists, providing an opportunity for informal conversation and relationship building. All CPHS students and Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine students were invited to attend the panel session, reinforcing the University's commitment to interprofessional collaboration and education.

[Link]PA student Lesley Chao speaking with Dr. Pam Edwards and Senator Gale Adcock

The session was made possible in part through the leadership of physician assistant student Lesley Chao ('27 MPAP/MSPH Candidate), who played an instrumental role in planning the event as part of her participation in the 2024-2025 Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA) Student Health Policy Fellowship. Dr. Laura Gerstner, chair and director of Physician Assistant Practice, encouraged Chao to use the opportunity as her fellowship project, recognizing its potential to elevate student engagement in health policy. Throughout the planning process, Gerstner and Dr. Pamela Edwards, assistant dean of Interprofessional Education, guided Chao as she developed the event and navigated the fellowship experience.

Carmellia Webb, director of Interprofessional Education, joined the team after the initial planning stages and was instrumental in bringing the event to fruition, helping coordinate logistics and ensure a successful experience for students, faculty and panelists.

The nationally competitive Student Health Policy Fellowship equips 20 PA students with hands-on experience in health policy, advocacy and legislative engagement.

"Being part of the Student Health Policy Fellowship showed me how important it is for future healthcare providers to understand the policy decisions that impact our patients and professions," said Chao. "Helping bring this panel to campus was a meaningful way to create space for students to hear directly from leaders who are shaping healthcare at every level."

Dr. Jeff Mercer, dean of the College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences, welcomed attendees and emphasized the importance of preparing students to be not only skilled clinicians, but also informed advocates for their patients and professions. The panel was moderated by Will Bratton, CPHS assistant dean for administration, who guided a thoughtful and engaging discussion around health policy, legislative processes and real-world advocacy efforts.

Students attending the panel discussion

"This event was especially poignant because it showed students that advocacy is not separate from patient care, it is part of it," said Dr. Edwards. "When healthcare professionals understand how policy impacts access, outcomes and equity, they are better equipped to speak up for their patients and for the integrity of their professions."

Panelists shared personal experiences from clinical practice, professional leadership and public service, offering students practical insights into how healthcare advocacy happens at the local, state and national levels. The discussion highlighted the importance of interprofessional voices working together to influence health policy and improve care for diverse communities.

Meet the Panelists

• Emily Adams, MPA: Emily Adams is the Chief Executive Officer of the North Carolina Academy of Physician Associates, where she leads statewide advocacy efforts to advance PA practice and represents the profession before policymakers and stakeholders across North Carolina.
• Senator Gale Adcock, MSN, FNP C: Senator Gale Adcock serves in the North Carolina Senate and is the first nurse ever elected to that chamber. A long-time nurse practitioner and healthcare leader, she brings decades of clinical, academic and policy experience to her legislative work.
• Patrick Brown, PharmD: Patrick Brown is the Executive Director of the North Carolina Public Health Collaboration, which represents multiple statewide public health organizations. A pharmacist by training, he focuses on advancing North Carolina's public health system through collaboration and advocacy.
• Randall Lazicki, PT, DPT, EdD, LAT, ATC: Dr. Randall Lazicki is an assistant professor in Campbell University's Department of Physical Therapy and serves in leadership roles with the American Physical Therapy Association of North Carolina. His advocacy work has focused on expanding physical therapists' scope of practice and improving patient access to care.
• Representative Timothy Reeder, MD, MPH: Representative Tim Reeder serves in the North Carolina House of Representatives for District 9 and chairs the Health Committee and the Appropriations Health and Human Services Committee. An emergency medicine physician, he has spent his career advancing healthcare quality, education and policy in North Carolina.

The panel session underscored Campbell University's mission to educate future healthcare professionals who are prepared to lead, collaborate and advocate. By bringing together diverse perspectives and disciplines, the event demonstrated how interprofessional education can empower students to make meaningful contributions to patient care and health policy throughout their careers.

Representative Timothy Reeder, MD, MPH Students waiting for the panel to begin Emily Adams, MPA Randall Lazicki, PT, DPT, EdD, LAT, ATC Dr. Patrick Brown talks with Lesley Chao, PA student Carmellia Webb, director of Interprofessional Education

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