PA Week 2026: Meet Tufts PA/MPH Student Jasmyn Cheng

October 10, 2026

Jasmyn Cheng, PA/MPH28, shares how her experiences in healthcare, leadership and public health are shaping her path as a future PA and patient advocate.

For PA Week 2026, we’re highlighting the diverse experiences, interests and aspirations of Tufts PA students. Meet Jasmyn Cheng, a PA/MPH student whose experiences as a former medical assistant, athlete and patient helped inspire her path into healthcare.

Drawn to the PA profession’s collaborative nature and flexibility, Cheng chose Tufts for the opportunity to combine her PA education with a Master of Public Health degree. At Tufts, she is also putting her leadership skills into action as President of the Tufts University PA Student Society, advocating for her classmates and helping strengthen the PA community.

In this profile, she shares what inspired her to become a PA, how the PA/MPH program is shaping the way she thinks about healthcare and her goal of becoming a provider who listens, advocates and keeps patients informed.

This is the final profile in our PA Week student series. Explore our other student stories to hear more about the experiences and perspectives shaping the next generation of Tufts PAs.

What inspired you to pursue a career as a Physician Assistant?

"There were so many different things that drew me to the PA profession. I really value the collaborative nature of the profession and the opportunity to work closely with physicians, other PAs, NPs, nurses, and all the other various members of the healthcare team. I was also drawn to the lateral mobility that comes with being a PA. The longer I’m in PA school and the more medicine I learn, the more areas of medicine I become interested in, so I love knowing that my career can continue to evolve with my interests. Having PAs as my own providers growing up also gave me an early look at the kind of provider and patient advocate I hope to become."

Why did you choose Tufts?

"I chose Tufts because I knew I wanted an education that would prepare me to be a strong clinician while also allowing me to continue exploring my interests outside of direct patient care. The opportunity to pursue my MPH alongside my PA education was a huge part of that decision. I also love being in Boston and having access to such a large and diverse medical community, with so many opportunities to learn from different healthcare systems, specialties, and patient populations."

What has been your most meaningful experience at Tufts so far?

"One of the most meaningful parts of my experience at Tufts has been getting involved in the PA program outside of the classroom. Serving as President of the Tufts University PA Student Society has given me the opportunity to advocate for my classmates, work closely with faculty, and help create experiences that bring our program together. Whether it’s representing my classmates in conversations with faculty, working with our TUPASS team to turn student ideas into initiatives, or simply being someone my classmates feel comfortable coming to with an idea or concern, I’ve really valued being able to contribute to our PA community while going through the program myself. I’ve also really valued the relationships I’ve been able to build with our faculty through this role. We have such supportive faculty who genuinely want to see us succeed, and getting to know and work with them more closely has made the experience even more meaningful."

What are your career goals after graduation?

"Right now, I’m keeping a pretty open mind about exactly where I want to practice, because PA school keeps introducing me to new areas of medicine that I could see myself pursuing. I’m especially interested in internal medicine, cardiology and electrophysiology, critical care, and pediatric specialties. Wherever I ultimately end up, I hope to find a position where I can continue learning, build meaningful relationships with my patients, and potentially incorporate quality improvement work into my clinical practice."

How has Tufts helped prepare you for your future career?

Tufts has challenged me to think beyond simply learning the medicine and to think about the kind of provider I want to become. Between my PA education, MPH training, leadership experiences, and opportunities to learn from faculty and clinicians in different specialties, I’ve been able to look at healthcare from both the individual patient level and a broader systems perspective. I think having both of those perspectives will be really valuable as I move into clinical practice.

What kind of impact do you hope to make as a PA?

"Above everything, I want my patients to feel like they have someone in their corner. I hope to be a provider who takes the time to listen, makes sure patients understand what is happening with their health, and advocates for them when they need it. I’m also really interested in quality improvement, particularly around patient education, so I would love to eventually combine my clinical work with projects that improve how we communicate with patients and help them feel more informed and involved in their own care."

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