Nazareth University is setting itself up to become a school where a person of any age can begin training for a career in the health care field.
The university already has a robust nursing program and is now preparing to launch a hybrid physician assistant master's degree program.
“We want to put out PA providers in the community, and beyond, that we would feel comfortable taking care of our own family and friends,” said Ashley Nichols, director of didactic education for Nazareth's PA program.
Physician assistants are trained to provide primary care services under the guidance of a lead physician. Nazareth’s 24-month-long program will include both online and on-campus clinical learning.
Officials said this will make the PA program more accessible and appealing, especially to adult learners.
“We know that there's more adult learners out there, and we have to meet that demand as well,” said Maureen Finney, provost at Nazareth.
As a PA herself, Finney said primary care is the "central auspice" to maintaining a healthy community. She said the focus of the curriculum will be to ensure that the students can meet those needs.
“Specifically of the underserved populations, urban environments that need help, rural environments that need help, chronic disease management, which we know is what really is the underpinning of health and wellness,” she said.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the employment opportunities for physician assistants are projected to grow about 20% over the next 10 years.
Selma Mujezinovic, the vice president of advanced practice providers for Rochester Regional Health, said PAs are going to continue to be crucial members on a care team.
“Our population as a whole in United States is aging and is going to need more medical care,” Mujezinovic said. “With a very pervasive physician shortage, it is very important to have enough physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and advanced practice providers to cover the gap in care.”
Mujezinovic has also pushed for legislation that would allow PAs to practice independently in New York state. She said granting them the opportunity to "practice to the top of their training" and become primary care providers would be very beneficial.
"We have a lot of rural counties. We have a lot of difficulty with creating access point for our patients. And if we allowed all the clinicians in our team, nurse practitioners and PAs, to render primary care independently, we would allow more of a community to be taken care of," Mujezinovic said.
Nazareth is currently enrolling its first cohort in the physician assistant program. It will launch in January.
