James R. Kilgore
DMSc, PhD, PA-C, DFAAPA
Arkansas Colleges of Health Sciences
Biography
Dr. Kilgore has served as a physician associate/assistant since graduating from the Emory University Physician Associate Program in December 1981. He has clinically practiced Nephrology, Hematology/Oncology, Emergency Medicine, Internal Medicine, and Military Medicine. His experience has covered a wide variety of practice settings, from outpatient clinics, large medical centers, multispecialty practices, and complex dialysis centers.
He has spent almost his entire career participating in clinical research. He participated in cutting-edge research on non-sedating antiemetics, the development of erythropoietin, antihypertensives, antidiabetic medications, and vaccines, including leading studies on H1N1, high-dose influenza, and Dengue Fever vaccines. Dr. Kilgore served as President and Chief Executive Officer of a Pharmaceutical Research Corporation for over 14 years.
Dr. Kilgore has a long and distinguished career in medical education, including serving as the Program Director of the University of Alabama at Birmingham Physician Assistant Program and the Mississippi State University – Meridian Campus Master of Physician Assistant Studies program. While serving in the UAB role, he led the development of the coordinated Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies and Master of Public Health (MSPAS/MPH) dual degree program within the program. He established the Firehouse Homeless Shelter medical screening clinic, which provided both screening and education to the shelter’s clients. He led the UAB PA program to a significant increase in student capacity, leading to more primary care physician assistants to serve in rural and medically underserved areas. Dr. Kilgore has a long career as a lecturer in the Physician Assistant program at Emory University School of Medicine. He has served on the advisory board and serves as a lecturer at the Morehouse School of Medicine Physician Assistant program. Dr. Kilgore currently serves on the Dean’s Advisory Board at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Health Professions. He serves on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of the university’s National Alumni Society (NAS). He is an associate professor at the University of Lynchburg School of Medicine and Health Science, where he led the Behavioral Medicine and Addiction Medicine Concentrations. He is a faculty member in the Master of Healthcare Administration, Master of Physician Assistant Medicine, Doctor of Medical Science, and Doctor of Executive Leadership programs at the university. Dr. Kilgore is a Professor within the DMSc program at the Arkansas Colleges of Health Education. He leads the ACHE Health Policy Institute and is the Editor of the ACHE Journal of Health and Executive Leadership.
Research Interests
Healthcare Policy
Rural and underserved area access to and the delivery of healthcare
Behavioral, Addiction and Psychiatry care
Academia Promotion and tenure
Global Health and Emergency Management
International Physician Associate / Assistant Education
Key Publications
1. Kilgore, J., Rolfs, J., Shuler, J., et al. COVID-19 Testing: Impact of Omicron variants on diagnostic reliability. Medical Research Archives, 12(3). doi:10.18103/mra.v12i3.5222. March 2024
2. Kilgore JR, Colletti T, Rolfs J, et al. 2024. Addressing Misconceptions about the Physician Associate/Assistant Profession. Medical Research Archives. [online]. 12(6).https://doi./10.18103.mra.v12i6.5545. July 2024
3. Kilgore, James R. DMSc, PhD, PA-C; Colletti, Thomas DHSc, PA-C Emeritus; Rolfs, Jenna DMSc, PA-C; Shuler, James A. Jr. DMSc, PA-C; Watkins, Elyse DHSc, PA-C, DFAAPA; Welsh, Jeremy M. DHSc, JD, PA-C; Lewia, Stephen Jr. DMSc, PA-C. Characteristics and career effect on PA graduates of a doctor of medical science program. JAAPA 38(1):p e16-e19, January 2025. | DOI: 10.1097/01.JAA.0000000000000170 [2025 AAPA Publishing Award]
4. Christensen, JB, Kilgore, JR, Kaufman, T, Gray R An Analysis of Training of the Remote Medical Provider and Recommended Standards. Medical Research Archives, [S.l.], v. 13, n. 1, Jan. 2025. ISSN 2375-1924. . doi: https://doi.org/10.18103/mra.v13i1.6257.
5. Somers JC, Munsell DS, Kilgore JR. Depression, loneliness, and estrangement in the geriatric population: trends, impacts, and interventions. Physician Assistant Clinics. 2026;11(1):1-12. doi:10.1016/j.cpha.2025.08.001
6. Kilgore, James R.; Somers, James C.; Munsell, Debra S.; Allen, Everett; Colletti, Tom; Rogers, Blake; Banger, Maggie; and Delis, Nikoleta (2025) “Roadmap to Better Mental Health Care,” Lynchburg Journal of Medical Science: Vol. 1: Iss. 1, Article 2. Available at: https://digitalshowcase.lynchburg.edu/jms/vol1/iss1/2
7. Colletti, T., Smalley, S., Kilgore, J., et al., 2025. Comparing Physician Associate/ Assistant and Comparable Online and Hybrid Training Programs – A Global Perspective. Medical Research Archives, [online] 13(5). https://doi.org/10.18103/mra.v13i5.0000
8. Rolfs J, Munsell D, Kilgore J, et al., 2025. Review of Post Professional Doctoral Education for the Physician Assistant/Associate: Recommendations for Entry-level Curriculum. Medical Research Archives, [online] 13(8). https://doi.org/10.18103/mra.v1 3i7.000 August 2025
9. Kilgore, James R., Rolfs, Jenna, Munsell, Debroah. “Leading with a Doctorate: The Impact of Advanced Scholarship on Leadership Effectiveness,” Lynchburg Journal of Medical Science: Vol. 1: Iss. 3, Article 2.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.63932/3067-7106.1047
Available at: https://digitalshowcase.lynchburg.edu/jms/vol1/iss3/2
10. Bunnell D, Kilgore J, Jones T, McKenna R, Smith N. 2025. The National Physician Associate Research Agenda: Research Priorities Identified by American Academy of Physician Associates Leaders. To be published JAAPA January 2026.
11. Harner, A. J., Kaufman, E. T., Rizek, J., Kilgore, J., et al. Beyond the Ambulance: The Critical Role of Tactical Emergency Casualty Care in Civilian Prehospital Care. Medical Research Archives, [online] 13(10). https://esmed.org/MRA/mra/article/view/6988
12. Rolfs J, Kilgore J, Gray R, Vonderheide H. Hope on the horizon: innovations in targeted and systemic atopic dermatitis treatments. Physician Assistant Clinics. To be published 2026.
13. Akavan R, Kilgore J, Rolfs J, et al. Review of Promotion and Tenure in PA Academia. To be published 2026.
14. Physician Associates: A Modern Evolution, 1965–2035. White paper. AAPA. 2025. Contributor. https://www.aapa.org/download/154726/?tmstv=1766530612
15. AAPA Response to “The Leng Review: An Independent Review into the Physician Associate and Anaesthesia Associate Professions.” Published August 21, 2025. Updated October 20, 2025. Contributor. https://www.aapa.org/download/153276/?tmstv=1761916932
Professional Links
Research Interests
Healthcare Policy Rural and underserved area access to and the delivery of healthcare Behavioral, Addiction and Psychiatry care Academia Promotion and tenure Global Health and Emergency Management International Physician Associate / Assistant Education
Specialties
Internal Medicine, Behavioral Health, Nutrition