Faculty & Staff
Cody Sasek, PhD, PA-C was appointed Program Director of the Doctor of Medical Science Bridge Program in January 2022. In this role, he leads program operations, the DMS Bridge curriculum, and program recruitment and admissions. His teaching responsibilities include several of the DMS Bridge courses as well as mentoring students in their capstone work.
Dr. Sasek has served in a variety of roles in PA education, including Director of Clinical Education for the Creighton University Physician Assistant Program immediately prior to joining Butler’s College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. Dr. Sasek has been a PA for more than a decade and has experience in orthopedics and emergency medicine. He continues to actively practice emergency medicine.
The educational background of Dr. Sasek includes a Master of Physician Assistant Studies degree from the University of Nebraska Medical Center and a PhD in Educational Administration from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. In 2018, he completed the Harvard Macy Institute Program for Health Professions Educators.
His research has explored the impact of competency-based assessment, specifically entrustable professional activities, on PA student motivation and learning. Dr. Sasek is an editorial board member for both the Journal of the American Academy of PAs where he serves as a Clinical Editor and the JBJS Journal of Orthopaedics for Physician Assistants where he is an Associate Editor. He contributes national leadership as a site visitor for the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) and as a member of the Physician Assistant Education Association’s Grants and Scholarships Review Committee.
Outside of his professional work, Dr. Sasek enjoys spending time on his family farm in rural Nebraska, staying active, and participating in triathlons, including previously completing the Ironman Wisconsin triathlon.
Erin Choate joined the program as the Admission and Marketing Coordinator in June 2022. In her role, she will support the Doctor of Medical Science Bridge Program’s student admission, recruitment, and marketing efforts. Before beginning her position at Butler University, Erin served as the Communications Specialist at the IUPUI School of Health & Human Sciences. She managed the school’s social media channels and several communications projects. She graduated from IUPUI in 2015 and studied Journalism and Public Relations. Erin lives in Fishers with her husband, Zach, and their dog, Sandy. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, hiking, yoga, and binge-watching shows on Netflix with her husband.
Adrian S. Banning, PA-C, DHSc, is a full-time Associate Professor in the Butler University Doctor of Medical Science (DMS) Bridge Program, joining the faculty in 2024 after previously serving as an adjunct faculty member.
Dr. Banning received her undergraduate degree in Psychobiology as a first-generation college student at Arcadia University (formerly Beaver College). She also attended Arcadia University for her Master of Health Science and PA degrees. She completed her Doctor of Health Science degree at Drexel University, with work focused on the influence of incorporating art into medical education on student empathy and burnout. This work was completed through an innovative, first-of-its-kind collaboration with the renowned Barnes Foundation.
Dr. Banning has been a full-time PA educator since 2008, having taught a wide range of topics, with particular experience in teaching research methods and evidence-based medicine.
Adrian practiced clinically in primary care with a specific focus on caring for military veterans before transitioning to education and research. She has also practiced in behavioral medicine. She has authored several publications in The Journal of the American Academy of PAs (JAAPA) and The Journal of Physician Assistant Education (JPAE), and serves as a peer reviewer for both journals. She has presented at PA conferences nationally and internationally and is an active medical education podcaster. She was selected as one of two 2020–2021 PAEA Research Fellows, completing a project focused on correlations between PA programs’ well-being curricula and student well-being.
Professionally, Dr. Banning is interested in the application of evidence-based medicine, lifestyle medicine, adult learning strategies, and exploring the intersection of art and science in education. Outside of her professional work, Adrian enjoys reading, spending time outdoors (ideally with a dog), and practicing yoga.
Bre Garbas, DHSc, PA-C is an associate professor in the Doctor of Medical Science Bridge Program. She became a full time member of the program in June 2025 after serving as an adjunct faculty in the capstone course for two years. In her current role, she chairs the curriculum committee and has teaching responsibilities in DMS Bridge courses as well as mentorship of capstone students. She maintains a role in program committees for assessment and admissions.
Dr. Garbas has been a PA since 2005 and initially practiced in private OB-GYN before transitioning to a federally qualified healthcare center family medical group. She maintained a GYN service within this practice. She currently practices in family medicine and gynecology through a free clinic service and continues to precept students. She began her PA educational career in 2016 with the University of Florida’s PA program and continued there until becoming Director of Academic Education with West Coast University before joining the DMS Bridge Program in 2025.
Dr. Garbas has a Master of Physician Assistant Studies from the Medical University of South Carolina and a Doctorate of Health Science from Nova Southeastern University. Her research interests include factors impacting student success in PA education, remediation, and rural/underserved health areas. She is an experienced presenter with the American Academy of Physician Associates as well as many state organizations and delivers workshops impacting reproductive health annually.
When not at work, Bre can be found outside as she lives in northern Florida in a town where the cows outnumber the people. She prefers running over other forms of transportation and any activity involving water.