Dr. Melissa Kagarise DHSc, MMS, PA-C

Education

• Doctor of Health Science (DHSc.), Nova Southeastern University, 2008
• Master of Medical Science (M.M.S.),Saint Francis College, 1998
• Bachelor of Science/Physician Assistant (B.S. PA), Saint Francis College, 1995

About

Dr. Melissa Kagarise is a board-certified Physician Assistant and an accomplished academic leader with over 25 years of experience in health professions education. She currently serves as Professor and Department Chair/Program Director for the Master of Physician Assistant Science Program at Saint Francis University, where she has been a faculty member since 1998.

Biography

Dr. Kagarise has held numerous leadership roles at Saint Francis University, including Director of the Master of Medical Science and Master of Health Science programs and Faculty Coordinator for the Navy Independent Duty Corpsmen Project through the Center of Excellence for Remote and Medically Underserved Areas. She is the founder of the University’s online Master of Health Science program and has been instrumental in developing innovative curricula for graduate-level health science programs.

Her expertise spans curriculum development, distance education, and interprofessional collaboration. With more than two decades of experience in online education, Dr. Kagarise has presented nationally at conferences such as The Teaching Professor Conference and the Online Learning Consortium Accelerate Conference. She has also served as an invited speaker for continuing medical education programs and corporate wellness initiatives.

Dr. Kagarise’s scholarly contributions include textbook chapters, peer-reviewed articles, and numerous presentations on topics ranging from culturally competent care to lipid management and instructional technology. She is an active peer reviewer for the Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants and has served on research and poster review committees for the American Academy of Physician Assistants.

Courses Taught

• CORE 407 Social Media; The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
• CORE 403 Senior Capstone, Walk to End Alzheimers
• MHS 504 Issues in Clinical Practice
• MHS 508 Health Care Systems Management
• MHS 509 Communication for Healthcare Professionals
• MHS 510 Practicum for Underserved Populations
• MHS 516 Special Topics
• MHS 520 Diversity in Healthcare
• MHS 521 Clinical Applications in Primary Care
• MHS 523 Health Promotion Across the Life Span
• MHS 542 Curriculum Development for Health Programs
• MMS Primary Care Core Program
• MMS 521 Clinical Applications in Primary Care
• MMS 507 Advanced Pharmacology
• MPH 509 Communication for Healthcare Professionals
• MPH 526 Program Planning and Implementation
• PHYA/MMS/MHS 503 Essentials in Research Methodologies
• PHYA 504/MHS 504 Issues in Clinical Practice
• PHYA/MHS 505 Ethical Issues in Practice
• PHYA/MMS/MHS 513 Clinical Residency Project / Master’s Capstone Project
• PHYA 507 Advanced Pharmacology
• PHYA 490 Introduction to US Health Care
• PHYA 494 Clinical Skills
• PHYA 110 Medical Terminology