Joyce Nichols Oral History Interviews, circa. 1990-2006

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Summary

Creator:
Nichols, Joyce
Abstract:

Joyce Nichols was the first female to graduate from Duke University's Physician Assistant Program, and the first African-American female to graduate from any physician assistant program.

Contains CD and transcript of an oral history interview with Joyce Nichols. Major subjects in this interview include Nichols' experiences as an African-American at Duke while studying to be a physician assistant and a licensed practical nurse, her experiences at Lincoln Community Health Center, and her struggles with the Housing Authority of Durham. This interview was conducted on 31 October 2006 by Jessica Roseberry.

Language:
English
Collection ID:
OH.NICHOLSJ

Background

Scope and content:

Contains audiotapes and transcript of an oral history interview with Joyce Nichols, the first African-American female to graduate from a physician assistant program.

Biographical / historical:

Joyce Nichols began her work at Duke as a licensed practical nurse, eventually nursing on the cardiac care unit of the Duke University Hospital. Ms. Nichols was in the third physician assistant class at Duke, graduating in 1969. She was the first female to graduate from the Duke Physician Assistant Program, making her officially the first African-American female PA anywhere. She has attended the North Carolina College at Durham (now North Carolina Central University), Durham Technical College, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Duke University Physician Assistant Program. After graduation as a physician assistant, Nichols remained affiliated with the Duke University Medical Center, serving as a clinical instructor for the Department of Community and Family Medicine for fourteen years. She worked at Lincoln Community Health Center for twenty-three years before her retirement, and she has served as chair of Lincoln's Board of Directors. She has also served in many positions within the physician assistant field, including charter member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants and the North Carolina Academy of Physician Assistants. She and Duke Community and Family Medicine Chair, Dr. E. Harvey Estes, began the first Rural Health Clinic in North Carolina.

Acquisition information:
Acquired; 31 October 2006.
Processing information:

Processed by Jessica Roseberry, November 2007 Encoded by Dawne Howard Lucas, August 2008

Physical location:
For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Duke University Medical Center Library's online catalog.

Contents

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Restrictions:

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Terms of access:

Copyright for Official University records is held by Duke University; all other copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Joyce Nichols Interview, Duke University Medical Center Archives.