A Homecoming White Coat
Posted on September 21, 2026
USA alumna returns to South to place the PA white coat on her daughter — a milestone absent from her own experience 26 years earlier.
Twenty-six years after the University of South Alabama helped prepare Angela Andrews for a career as a physician assistant, she returned to the Pat Capps Covey College of Allied Health Professions for a milestone she never experienced as a student herself.
Andrews, a 2000 graduate of South’s Physician Assistant Studies program, returned to campus in August for the program’s white coat ceremony, where she placed the white coat on her daughter, Alexis Burckhartt, who is now completing the same program.
Their story reflects both the growth of South’s Physician Assistant Studies program and the College’s longstanding role in preparing healthcare professionals for careers centered on patient care.
When Andrews graduated, she was a member of the program’s third graduating class. Classes were held in the former Providence Hospital building on Springhill Avenue, and the program did not yet have a white coat ceremony.
Today, the white coat ceremony marks an important transition for PA students as they move from classroom instruction into the clinical phase of their education.
“Having my mom coat me was one of the most special parts of it all,” Burckhartt said. “She has been one of my biggest influences, so sharing that moment with her meant everything.”
Burckhartt grew up hearing about her mother’s work and seeing the impact she had on her patients.
“My mom being a PA played a big role in introducing me to the profession,” she said. “Growing up, I loved hearing about her days and seeing how much she loves what she does. Watching the positive impact she made on her patients is part of what drew me to medicine, and I can confidently say I wouldn’t be where I am today without her.”
Andrews saw her daughter’s interest develop over the years but wanted the decision to pursue the profession to belong to Alexis.
“Alexis has always shown an interest in what I do and asked questions about being a PA,” Andrews said. “She grew up seeing the profession through my eyes, but I never wanted her to feel like she needed to follow the same path simply because it was mine. When she made the decision for herself that becoming a PA was what she wanted, I was incredibly proud.”
For Burckhartt, choosing South added another layer to that connection.
“I ultimately chose South because I wanted a program that would challenge me academically while preparing me to feel confident and capable in clinical practice,” she said. “On top of that, being born and raised here and getting to attend the same program my mom did meant the world to me.”
Although 26 years separate their experiences as students, both point to the demands of PA school and the relationships built while working through those challenges.
Andrews remembers how much she grew academically and personally during her time in the program, as well as the camaraderie among her classmates.
“PA school pushes you academically and personally, and you learn very quickly that you have to work hard, stay humble and rely on the people around you,” Andrews said. “You go through some very difficult moments together, and those relationships and experiences stay with you long after graduation.”
Burckhartt said the people around her have defined much of her experience at South.
“The people and relationships I’ve made are what stand out to me the most,” she said. “PA school is incredibly challenging, so having such supportive classmates and faculty has made all the difference.”
For Andrews, the significance of the white coat ceremony began well before the day itself. Burckhartt came home early in the program and told her that a professor had suggested Andrews be the one to coat her.
“I immediately welled up and felt a pride that I had never felt before,” Andrews said. “That feeling grew throughout the year as I watched her work so hard through the didactic portion of the program. It was one of the biggest honors of my life to place that coat.”
Returning to South as a parent also gave Andrews an opportunity to reflect on the role the program played in her own career.
“South’s PA program played such an important role in preparing me for my career, so seeing Alexis have that same opportunity is very meaningful,” she said. “I know firsthand how much the program challenges its students while also preparing them to care for patients and become confident, compassionate providers. There is something really special about watching your child begin a journey that you understand so personally.”
As she begins clinical rotations, Burckhartt said she is looking forward to continuing to grow and learning how to apply what she studied in the classroom to patient care.
“I am looking forward to finally putting everything I’ve learned in the classroom into practice and starting to make a real impact in my patients’ lives,” she said.
Andrews has encouraged her daughter to carry forward lessons that extend beyond medical knowledge.
“My biggest advice has been to stay humble, work hard and never stop learning,” Andrews said. “Medicine changes constantly, and you will never know everything. I’ve also told her to remember that every patient is someone’s family member and deserves to be treated with compassion and respect. The medicine is important, but the human connection is just as important.”
