PA studies graduate earns prestigious scholarship

Riverside, Calif. (Aug. 12, 2024) – Philip Solt, a graduate student at California Baptist University, was shocked when he was awarded the competitive Veterans Caucus US Army, US Navy, and US Marine Corps Memorial Scholarship at the American Academy of Physician Associates Conference in Houston, Texas, in May.

“Receiving the Caucus Scholarship was an amazing surprise! I am truly honored to be recognized in this way,” Solt said.

The Caucus Scholarship, a $6,000 award that covered the cost of tuition for Solt’s summer semester at CBU, is highly competitive, with only one PA student around the nation receiving it each year. Selection is based on an applicant’s military honors and awards, civic and community activities, college activities and professional memberships.

For Solt, graduating with a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies this week and receiving the Caucus Scholarship were both confirmation that he was headed in the direction God wanted him to follow.

It all started when he became a volunteer EMT at 16.

“I had a desire to serve others through the medical field,” he said.

Realizing the military could help him achieve that goal, Solt joined the Navy after high school. After serving as a hospital corpsman for his first 3-4 years, he went to the Naval Academy in Maryland, where he earned a degree in chemistry in 2014. He wanted to attend medical school at the academy but was not accepted.

Solt continued his career in the Navy, working on ships as a Surface Warfare Officer for the next six years. But he never lost the desire to move into medicine.

After getting out of the military, Solt held two medical jobs — first as a scribe for a urologist then as an EMT. His wife, Elizabeth, a CBU graduate, told him about CBU and its veterans benefits. Solt began considering how he could serve others through medicine as a physician assistant. 

He applied to schools in Southern California, with CBU being at the top of his list. He was not initially accepted to CBU’s program, which has an average 3% acceptance rate.

“It was humbling,” Solt said. “I took the opportunity to strengthen my application. When I reapplied to CBU in 2022, I was thrilled to be accepted.”

The second time around, Solt left an impression on the interview panel.

“The panel was impressed with his humility and his service-oriented mentality, which are so needed in this field,” said Dr. Mary Ann Stahovich, CBU director of physician assistant admissions.   

Solt often served as the go-between for students and professors, initially as de facto class president and as the actual class president, communicating needs and challenges and encouraging his classmates.

“I love leadership, mentorship and supporting those around me,” he said.

In the second year of the program, Solt completed clinical rotations, which included hospitals — like Riverside University Health System — privately owned doctors’ clinics and psychiatry clinics.

After graduation, Solt will start a 14-month emergency room fellowship with Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton, California. The program mirrors residencies for doctors while allowing Solt to build skills.

“I am interested in ultimately pursuing my Doctor of Medical Science,” he said. “That would allow me to move into more of a leadership role within a hospital setting, which is very appealing to me.”

While Solt looks to the future, he trusts that God is directing his path and recognizes just how far he has already come.