Excellence in Service

IPAS EXCELLENCE IN SERVICE COMPETITION

2026 STUDENT VOLUNTEER CONTEST

July 1, 2025 - June 30, 2026 | Submission Deadline: September 1, 2026

Overview

The Iowa Physician Assistant Society (IPAS) introduces the "Excellence in Service Competition," a statewide competition designed to recognize and reward exceptional volunteer service among PA students from the five accredited Physician Assistant (PA) programs in Iowa. This competition will encourage community engagement, professional development, and the advancement of the PA profession.


Eligibility

All first-year PA students enrolled in any of the five accredited PA programs in Iowa are eligible to participate. Participants do not need to be student members of IPAS. Participation is voluntary, and all volunteer hours must be logged by the designated IPAS representative(s) at each institution.


Competition Timeline

The competition period runs from July 1 to June 30 each year. All volunteer activities must be completed within this timeframe to count toward the competition.

Definition of Volunteer Activities


Eligible volunteer activities include, but are not limited to:

  1. Clinical volunteering (e.g., free clinics, health screenings)
  2. Community outreach (e.g., food banks, shelters, Special Olympics)
  3. Public health initiatives (e.g., vaccination drives, health education)
  4. Participation in professional or educational events (e.g., health fairs, student mentorship)


Activities must be unpaid and should benefit communities, individuals, or organizations. Personal obligations (e.g., family caregiving) or paid internships do not qualify.

Tracking and Logging Volunteer Hours


Each institution will designate one or more IPAS representative(s) to track volunteer hours for their students.

Representatives are responsible for logging the following details in the approved IPAS spreadsheet:


  1. Volunteer activity description
  2. Date(s) of service
  3. Contact information for the organization where the activity occurred (for verification purposes)
  4. Student’s full name
  5. Total hours volunteered


The completed spreadsheet must be submitted to director@iapasociety.org by September 1 each year. A final review of hours will be conducted by the IPAS Awards Committee. 

Determining the Winner

The total number of volunteer hours will be summed for each institution and then divided by the number of first-year PA students in the cohort at that institution to calculate the average number of hours per student. The program with the greatest average number of volunteer hours per student will be declared the winner. In the event of a tie, the program with the highest total number of volunteer hours will be declared the winner. If a tie persists, diversity of volunteer activities (i.e., range and variety of service types) will be considered as the final determining factor.


Prize

The winning program will be awarded a certificate and a $1,000 cash prize. The prize must be used by the PA student government at the winning institution for PA-related activities or to support travel for PA students to attend the American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) annual conference. In addition to the main prize, IPAS may recognize outstanding individual contributions, such as the student with the highest number of hours or the most diverse set of volunteer activities.


Award Announcement

The winning program will be announced at the annual IPAS Fall Conference. The prize will be presented during the conference, and the winning institution will be recognized on the IPAS website and in the conference materials.


Accessibility and Equity

Programs are encouraged to promote accessible volunteer opportunities to all students, including virtual and community-based options, to accommodate different schedules and resource levels.


Promotion and Communication

Regular reminders about the competition will be sent by IPAS and institutional representatives throughout the competition period. IPAS will promote the competition through email newsletters, the website, and social media to ensure all students are informed and encouraged to participate.


Sustainability and Annual Review

This competition will be reviewed annually by the IPAS Awards Committee, which will provide recommendations on the policy to the Board of Directors. Adjustments to the competition structure, prize amount, or eligibility criteria may be made based on student participation, feedback, or other considerations to ensure continued engagement and fairness.