Faculty & Staff

After graduating from the Stony Brook PA Program in 1990, Professor Donna Ferrara-McCord began her career at St. Francis Hospital specializing in cardiology. Shortly thereafter she was appointed as the Chief Physician Assistant for the Department of Medicine at the Heart Center. During her tenure at St. Francis she expanded the role of PA’s in the department and worked diligently to secure additional positions for PA’s on the service. After leaving St. Francis Hospital Donna expanded her knowledge by working in intensive care medicine at New York Hospital. Professor Ferrara-McCord returned to her previous area of interest working in noninvasive cardiology at Stony Brook University Hospital.

After guest lecturing at the Stony Brook PA Program Donna realized that she had both an aptitude and passion for teaching. She joined the faculty of the Stony Brook PA program in 1994 and completed her master’s degree in Health Care Policy at Stony Brook in 2001.

As the program’s Director of Preclinical Education, Donna is responsible for the coordination of all preclinical year activities and medical preceptorships. She teaches in, and is responsible for, several units of clinical medicine (including the Cardiology and POMR-History Units). Professor Ferrara-McCord is the advisor for the Pre-PA Club, located on campus, and teaches a public health course for the BS-HS major in the SHTM. Donna maintains her clinical skills by working locally in a family medicine group practice.

During her free time Donna enjoys spending time with her two boys.