The University of New England Physician Assistant Masters (MSPA) Program, Maine’s only accredited PA training program, will lead the awarded UNE PCTE-Rural PA Program. UNE was awarded a five-year, $1.5 million grant from the Health Resources and Service Administration Primary Care Training and Enhancement (PCTE) Program.
The program, titled “The UNE PCTE-Rural PA Program”, will develop and implement longitudinal clinical rotations for PA students in primary care in rural areas. It will also support the training and development of preceptors in rural areas. The program aims to increase the number of primary care practitioners who are ready to practice in and lead the transformation of health care systems aimed at improving access, quality of care, and cost effectiveness in rural areas. UNE has a long history of educating and placing its PA students and graduates in rural areas across Maine and New England and maintains strong ties with multiple rural providers and provider associations in the region.
Dennis Brown Dr.PH., M.P.H., P.A.-C., DFAAPA, Program Director of the MSPA, will serve as Principal Investigator. The Center for Excellence in Public Health will oversee program management, curriculum development, and evaluation. The UNE PCTE-Rural PA Program will build on lessons learned from a soon to be completed PCTE initiative, in which health professions students and practicing professionals received training in a variety of primary care and population health competencies using an interprofessional approach. Adapting valuable tools and knowledge gained, the newly funded program will focus on training PA students on health needs of rural, underserved populations, and working within interprofessional teams to address these needs. The program includes didactic and experiential learning, Project ECHO trainings for preceptors, and an introduction to precepting for PA students to encourage them to become preceptors post-graduation.