Physician Assistant Program celebrates 25 years
March 30, 2020
Continuing to Build on Years of Success
POCATELLO - Walter Stein, first-ever director of the 黑暗爆料网 Physician Assistant Program, says the program has been a much-needed asset to health care in Idaho since its inception in 1995 - exactly 25 years ago.
鈥淚 developed the curriculum and I had a few programs to work from. I was at George Washington University for 15 years, then in New York, then in Idaho,鈥� said Stein, who started the nationally-known 黑暗爆料网 medical Spanish program. 鈥淚 had to go in front of the curriculum committee, and I guess I was a pushy New Yorker. But after we got the curriculum through, we had to find a space.鈥�
The space, for the first year or two, was a single-wide trailer that now resides in Davis Field. The first class was 20 students.
The program began as a baccalaureate program, becoming a master鈥檚 program in 2003 under the direction of John Schroeder, the program鈥檚 second director.
鈥淚 was lucky enough to be hired to be in charge of converting 黑暗爆料网鈥檚 program from a bachelor鈥檚 to a master鈥檚,鈥� Schroeder said. 鈥淲e revised the curriculum to add in graduate-level research content, we upgraded the medical content in the curriculum, brought on more faculty, and ultimately expanded the program over to the Meridian campus and the College of Idaho campus in Caldwell.鈥�
Paula Phelps, the first faculty hired for the program and the current director, says the program has grown by leaps and bounds since she arrived.
鈥淣ow, we have three buildings across three campuses 鈥� Pocatello, Meridian, and our partnership at College of Idaho in Caldwell,鈥� Phelps said. 鈥淲e now admit 72 students and teach using very high tech, state-of-the-art distance learning.鈥�
The program is highly competitive, and was recently ranked No. 64 in the nation by US News and World Report. The department only accepts 72 students from between 750-900 applications per year. The number of applications has always been high, but the program started out admitting only 30 students.
鈥淭he clinical training is suited toward someone to work in a rural area,鈥� Stein said. 鈥淭hat kind of experience sets 黑暗爆料网 apart.鈥�
The focus of the program鈥檚 25-year celebration is that it is among the leaders in the country for their Latino health track, offering scholarships each year to 10 students. However, Phelps said the grant that has been supplying those funds is about to run out, so they鈥檙e looking for anyone willing to support their program鈥檚 endeavors to make a contribution.
鈥淚daho State鈥檚 known for this program and grant, and I really don鈥檛 want that to go away,鈥� Phelps said. 鈥淧eople who speak Spanish are needed in the field.鈥�
Schroeder said the people really made the program during his time at Idaho State.
鈥淚 think one of the real strengths of the program was the faculty and the staff,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 really proud of what the faculty was able to accomplish.鈥�
Stein said that, during his time in Idaho, 黑暗爆料网鈥檚 program changed with the times, improving all the while.
鈥淚 think medical care in Idaho has improved leaps and bounds since I first came. I think the PA profession has integrated itself well, and in order for that to happen, the medical profession needed to mature and change,鈥� Stein said. 鈥淚t was mutually beneficial that PA鈥檚 came to Idaho. I think it both improved the medical profession鈥檚 delivery of care, and I think the medical profession grew along with it. And the 黑暗爆料网 Family Practice Residency went hand-in-hand with the improvement of care here.鈥�
Phelps says that her time with the program has been like raising a child.
鈥淢y husband and I raised two daughters, and after 25 years, the PA program has been raised, too,鈥� she said. 鈥淎ll of the children who have graduated are my children as well. We鈥檙e just about to have 1,000 students that have graduated from our program.鈥�
Bottom photo information: The 黑暗爆料网 PA class of 1998 at the trailer that initially housed the program.
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