Meeting the Needs of Rural Underserved Patients: Collaborative Training for Physician Assistant Learners Grant uri icon

abstract

  • The East Carolina University (ECU) Department of Physician Assistant (PA) Studies is a leading accredited PA program in North Carolina (NC) with a 100 percent pass rate on the certifying exam for graduates in each of the last five years (exceeding national rates), and with a strong history of placing graduates in underserved areas. With the proposed funding, the Department and its partners will build upon its strong base in primary care for underserved populations, by: - Increasing graduates who practice primary care specifically in rural underserved areas by expanding required rural primary care rotations and strengthening faculty ? rural preceptor - learner partnerships, facilitating both immersion and distance training; - Increasing training in interdisciplinary teams by developing, implementing and evaluating integrated behavioral health care curricula for PA students in partnership with Mental and Behavioral Health disciplines [Rehabilitation Studies, Health Psychology)] and our community partners; - Implementing and evaluating required training in substance abuse/opioid use disorder and medication assisted treatment (MAT) to address the opioid epidemic - Build a stronger culture of faculty, preceptor, and student wellness that promotes resiliency and facilitates successful practice in rural resource-constrained environments. - Building a stronger pipeline for veterans to acquire PA training The proposed funding will help transform care delivery for vulnerable rural citizens in a historically underserved region of North Carolina with profound health needs.

date/time interval

  • July 2020 - June 2025