MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY
PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT PROGRAM FACULTY AND STAFF
Wm. Russell Detten, DO, FAACP serves as the Medical Director for the Missouri State University Physician Assistant Program. He completed his undergraduate degree at Drury University and his medical education at the University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine in Kansas City, MO. Subsequently, he did his residency at Cox Family Practice Residency Program. He is a diplomat of the American Board of Family Practice and a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Currently, he is a family practice physician at Steeplechase Family Physicians, an affiliate of Cox Health Systems, in Springfield. He has been actively involved in precepting Missouri State University PA students since the inception of the Program.
Steven T. Dodge, MD, FACOG, joined the Missouri State University Physician Assistant Program in August 2003 and serves as the Department Head/Program Director. Dr. Dodge has also served the department as Clinical Coordinator. He graduated from the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in 1975, completed the SIU Obstetrics & Gynecology residency in 1979 and a fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology at Washington University in St. Louis in 1983. He also served 7 years in the US Army Medical Corps, ending as Chief of the Reproductive Endocrinology Service at Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu. Dr. Dodge has enjoyed his move from clinical medicine to medical education and also coordinates the obstetrics and gynecology portion of Clinical Medicine I and the Advanced Clinical Pharmacology course.
Roberto Canales, MS, PA-C serves as the Associate Program Director and Admissions Coordinator in the Department of Physician Assistant Studies. He joined the Missouri State University PA faculty in July 2002 after having been a faculty member of the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) Department of Physician Assistant Studies for 8 years. He completed his physician assistant education at UTMB in 1989 and subsequently completed his Master of Science in Health Education and Promotion from the UTMB Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences in 1998. His clinical experience includes university, military and correctional facility settings and he has a particular expertise in infectious disease. His primary teaching responsibilities at the Missouri State University PA Program includes, but is not limited to, the coordination of Clinical Medicine I & II series and teaching didactic year courses including Medical Physiology Clinical Correlations. Mr. Canales also assists with Clinical Coordination responsibilities for the Department.
Nancy Dion, MS, PA serves as an Instructor, and is currently acting as a Co-Clinical Coordinator in the Missouri State University Department of Physician Assistant Studies. Ms. Dion received her training as a registered nurse from Salem Hospital School of Nursing followed by completion of her Physician Assistant education at George Washington University School of Medicine. She completed her MS in Physician Assistant at Finch University School of Health Sciences/ Chicago Medical School in 1998. Ms. Dion has over 20 years clinical experience as a physician assistant, with extensive experience and expertise in the area of otolaryngology. She assists with clinical education activities and teaches a number of courses in the PA Program.
Sharon Giboney, MSN, RNC, WHNP-BC, RNC-OB joined the faculty of the Missouri State University Physician Assistant Program in February 2010 as the Associate Clinical Coordinator. She is now the Co-Clinical Coordinator and Clinical Supervisor. Sharon graduated from Burge School of Nursing (Cox College of Nursing) and received her BSN from Drury College (Drury University) in Springfield, Missouri. She graduated from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School Women's Health Care Nurse Practitioner program in Dallas, Texas. She received her Master of Science in Nursing from Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She practiced as a Women's Health Care Nurse Practioner in a private office for fifteen years. During her years in private practice she served as a preceptor for both nurse practioner and physician assistant students. She continues to practice clinically one day a week in Women's Health in Springfield, Missouri. Sharon's responsibilities in the MSU PAS Program include clinical site and preceptor recruitment, yearly visits to clinical sites, scheduling of all clinical experiences and rotations for students, assisting students with clinical site questions, teaching, and lab responsibilities.
Tracy Cleveland, MS, PA-C joined the Missouri State University Physician Assistant Studies Program in August 2007 as an Assistant Professor and in 2009 became the Academic Coordinator. She graduated with bachelor's degrees in Psychology and Biology from Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota in 2000, and from Southwest Missouri State University, now Missouri State University, with her Master of Science degree in Physician Assistant Studies in 2002. Tracy's experience as a Physician Assistant includes both primary care and orthopedic surgery. She continues to work clinically in orthopedic surgery in Springfield, Missouri, and currently assists with the Clinical Medicine, Principles of Clinical Problem Solving, and the Laboratory Medicine and Clinical Procedures Courses.
Jodi Flynn, MS, PA-C joined the faculty of the Missouri State University Physician Assistant Program in November 2009 as an Assistant Professor. Jodi graduated from Drury University in Springfield, Missouri in 2000 with a Bachelor's degree in Biology with a Pre-Med emphasis. She received her Master of Science degree in Physician Assistant Studies in 2002 from Missouri State University. Jodi's experience as a Physician Assistant includes Invasive and General Cardiology, and she continues to work clinically as a Hospitalist PA at Cox Health Systems. Jodi has been certified as an Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) Instructor since 2007 working with employees of Cox Health and Citizens Memorial Hospitals. Jodi's teaching responsibilities in the MSU PA Program include ECG/ACLS, Professional Issues, Clinical Assessment, Clinical Medicine, Principles of Clinical Problem Solving and Laboratory Medicine/Clinical Procedures courses. Jodi serves as the student organization faculty advisor for both the didactic and clinical year PA students as well as for the Pre-PA Society students on campus. Jodi is an advocate for the PA profession in a wider capacity currently serving as the MOAPA's Vice-President (since 2010); previously serving as MOAPA's Treasurer (2003-2005). 
Linda K. Vaught, PhD serves as the Research Coordinator for the Physician Assistant Studies program. She received a doctorate in Animal Science from Utah State University in 1976. Shortly thereafter, she became an Assistant Professor at the University of Hawaii-Hilo. In 1984, she joined an in vitro fertilization (IVF) medical practice as an embryologist eventually overseeing laboratory operations in seven IVF centers as Laboratory Director. Dr. Vaught joined the PAS department in 2005 as coordinator of research activities for PAS faculty and students. Her duties include project planning, grant writing, protocol administration and liaison for interdepartmental research efforts. She teaches research writing and medical informatics and is active in pre-profesional advisement, recruiting, and admissions.
Cynthia Chandler-Clayton, CPS is the Academic Administrative Assistant II for the Department of Physician Assistant Studies. Cynthia has extensive administrative experience in health care and business settings and earned her Certified Professional Secretary/Capstone (CPS) certification in 1992. She also completed her training at the Professional Massage Training Center in Springfield, MO in 1997 and practiced as a Nationally Certified LMT until 2001. She has worked at Missouri State University since 2000 and in July 2002, joined the Department of Physician Assistant Studies. She is the Administrative Assistant to the Department Head/Program Director, and is responsible for maintaining office procedures, coordinating special events, and the operational functions of the PAS department. Cynthia also assists in the areas of Admissions and Recruitment.
Jan Rund, BS is an Acacemic Administrative Assistant I for the Department of Physician Assistant Studies. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Dietetics from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1974 and has worked as an administrative dietitian in St. Louis. More recently, she has worked as a secretary and joined the Physician Assistant Studies program at Missouri State University in May 2007. Jan primarily assists with the Clinical Year.