Conversations with Jeffrey Peacock

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeffrey Peacock.

Hi Jeffrey, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
The South College Nashville Physician Assistant program started in 2019 with 30 students.

The mission is to educate highly qualified physician assistants, preparing them to become competent, compassionate, comprehensive healthcare for clinical practice in rural and urban areas, who will mature into leaders within the medical community.

Physician assistants are one of the most sought-after occupations due to the growing healthcare provider shortage and the aging baby boomer population. I helped start the program in 2018 after running the first Physician Assistant Program in Afghanistan as an Army Officer.

We will have 165 students in three separate cohorts this coming fall of 2022. The most rewarding aspect is seeing students succeed and helping change healthcare one student at a time.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The biggest obstacle and challenge are getting a graduate program accredited.

Protecting public health accreditation is extremely difficult. The program has successfully achieved this milestone.

The physician Assistant program has just 27 months to make a student a medical provider.  Being a medical provider comes with a tremendous amount of responsibility.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I want to make a difference in people’s lives. I have personally done this as a military officer, medical provider, and now a teacher of both faculty and students. I am most proud of having the ability to organize a team towards a goal.

Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
I am a Purple Heart recipient. I also started the first Physician Assistant Program in Afghanistan in 2009.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.south.edu/programs/master-health-science-physician-assistant-studies/nashville/