New WVU program ensures future physician assistant training and strengthens rural health partnerships
West Virginia University’s School of Medicine will expand training opportunities for physician assistant studies students while increasing access to healthcare in rural communities across the state through a more than $1.3 million dollar grant from the Health Resources & Services Administration.
The Division of Physician Assistant studies will use the grant funds, which will be distributed over a five-year period, to launch ImPAct WV, a project created to expand rural health curriculum, present more training opportunities and increase scholarship offerings for students in rural practice.
The project includes specialized rural health education for students, resources to support evidence-based practice and wellness initiatives for community partners, and tobacco cessation training for rural preceptors through the WVU School of Dentistry’s Certified Tobacco Treatment Training Program.
“Our long-term project goal is to increase the number of physician assistants in rural primary care practice settings, and ultimately to improve health outcomes for patients in rural areas of our state,” Jennifer Momen, M.D., MPH., FAAP., said.
Additionally, ImPAct WV will provide telehealth equipment to rural clinical training sites that lack equipment and connections, as well as implement a rural preceptor development program to support clinical partners. According to Dr. Momen, this portion of the grant aligns with HRSA’s clinical priorities of improving mental health access and care and strengthening health care access through telehealth.
While creating greater access to care for rural patients, those working on the project also hope to inspire future physician assistants to consider rural primary care practice in West Virginia as many counties in the state are experiencing shortages of providers.
During the second and third years of the grant period, ImPAct WV will provide three scholarships of $20,000 to Physician Assistant Studies students pursing rural practice. Over the fourth and fifth years, the project will award four $20,000 scholarships.
Funding from the grant will also be used to provide stipends of $4,300 to physician assistant studies students who elect to complete an eight-week rural primary care rotation.
For students currently participating in their rural rotations, it has been an eye-opening experience to learn more about the role of a physician assistant in rural primary care. Second-year physician assistant studies student, Isaac Smith, credits coursework throughout the program as beneficial when preparing to treat patients from rural areas.
“Much of our learning in the Physician Assistant Studies program is focused on rural medicine and prepares you for seeing patients from rural areas that may not have had the same kind of healthcare access throughout their life as someone from a more urban area,” said Smith.
For second-year physician assistant studies student, Hannah Nesslerodt, hands-on experience in a rural clinic provided a new perspective.
“While practicing in a remote clinic, I was often still surprised by how far some of our patients have to travel to see a provider because, even in a rural area, we were still the closest clinic to them,” said Nesselrodt. “That lack of access to care was eye-opening.”
Looking towards the future, Dr. Momen is hopeful that the ImPAct WV project will have positive outcomes for students and patients across West Virginia.
“This program is really our land-grant mission in action,” said Momen. “We’re using our resources to make sure that both students and citizens across West Virginia benefit from quality care, education, and training.”
To learn more about the Physician Assistant Studies program, visit medicine.wvu.edu/physician-assistant-studies/.
-WVU-
cn/10/11/12
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