Co-founded PA program at UNMC in 1971
Armed with a dry sense of humor and a knack for uniting people behind a cause, Jesse Edwards helped bring the physician assistant profession to the state of Nebraska.
Edwards, 83, died Tuesday at a hospice facility in Surprise, Ariz., following a short illness.
"Jesse Edwards was a pioneer," said Kyle Meyer, Ph.D., senior associate dean of the School of Allied Health Professions at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. "It could truly be said that his contributions had a transformative and permanent impact on the PA profession and PA education at UNMC."
Although not a physician assistant himself, Edwards was a key player in the development of the profession in the military and in the state of Nebraska. He was a co-founder of the UNMC PA program in 1971 and helped establish the affiliation between the joint Air Force/Navy PA program and UNMC, which awarded PA degrees to students in the military.
He joined UNMC in 1967 in the department of pediatrics before moving to the dean’s office in the College of Medicine. From 1971 until his retirement in 2008, Edwards worked in UNMC’s PA program serving as associate director.
"Jesse will be missed by all of us in the PA program," said Jim Somers, Ph.D., program director of the UNMC PA program. "His sense of humor, his warmth and his openness to everyone were legendary on the UNMC campus for many years.
"He will be fondly remembered by PAs in Nebraska and all over the country for his pioneering spirit, his leadership and his many contributions to the profession."
He served as both president and vice president of the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA) and established its liaison relationship with the National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions.
In 2007, Edwards was the first recipient of the PAEA’s Presidential Award. He also received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Veterans Caucus of the American Academy of Physician Assistants in 2003 and the Physician Assistant Founder’s Award from the UNMC School of Allied Health Professions in 2009.
Edwards developed the first computerized test to assist PA students in their self-evaluation efforts. Known as Mr. TIB (Test Item Bank), the test was used by almost all PA programs and students for the purpose of evaluating their clinical knowledge.
Prior to joining UNMC, Edwards spent 21 years in the United States Air Force, retiring as a major in 1967. He played a key role in establishing the first-ever scientific approach to determining the manpower needs for Air Force medical treatment facilities. The method was based on work sampling techniques and is still used today.
Edwards is survived by his wife of 40 years, Sharon. They had four daughters: Bonnie (and Greg) Shearer, Papillion; Patty (and Tim) Wessling, Papillion; Joyce (and Jason) Beaty, Surprise, Ariz.; and Jennifer (and James) Valentine, Washington, D.C.; a son, Jesse (and Naomi) Edwards Jr., Rochester, N.Y.; 12 grandchildren; and one great grandson.
A visitation with Edwards’ family will be at Heafey-Heafey-Hoffmann-Dworak & Cutler Mortuaries at 7805 W. Center Rd. on Sunday from 4 to 6 p.m. with a remembrance service to follow.
A funeral service will be on Monday at 10 a.m. at the mortuary. Interment will be at Forest Lawn Cemetery, 7909 Mormon Bridge Rd., followed by a celebration of life at the Upstream Brewing Company in the Old Market.