University Mission, Investment, and Support

Proposal: This presentation is designed to be paired with the following ATSU presentations:
ATSU Pipeline (Pathway) to Practice for Equitable Community Health:
1) Nurturing and Educating the Pipeline (Pathway) Pre-PA Recruitment, Student Support, and Didactic Training and
2) Educational and CHC Partnerships/Teaching Health Centers.

Medically underserved communities are disproportionately burdened with disease states that go undiagnosed and untreated due to lack of access to quality healthcare, along with reduced racial and ethnic concordance between patient and provider. Identifying and equipping future healthcare providers from underserved and under-resourced communities who have the heart to serve and are educated in an institution whose mission and strategic plan support them and the communities we serve are critical steps in providing equitable community health. Kim Butler Perry, DDS, MSCS, Associate Professor, and Associate Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at ATSU, will provide an overview of how ATSU’s “why” is supported by our mission, strategic plan, our unique strategic alliances with the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), and Primary Care Associations. Kimberly Kochanoff, DMSc, PA-C, Associate Professor, Clinical Education Director for the ATSU-Arizona School of Health Sciences Department of Physician Assistant Studies (ATSU-DPAS) will provide an overview of its strategic partnerships with North Carolina Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Community Health Centers (NCCHCA) whose purpose is to meet the workforce needs through strategic community partnerships and longitudinal clinical education within communities of need.

Enhancing community connection fosters a sense of responsibility, pride, and commitment. Responding to Community Health Centers (CHCs) requests, the ATSU-DPAS Physician Assistant (PA) program and Hometown Scholars initiatives were established to attract dedicated, qualified PAs with a community focus. Hometown Scholars applicants, having engaged with their CHCs, possess clinical experience, meet PA school requirements, and display a commitment to practicing in their hometowns.

ATSU-DPAS’s innovative strategic partnership with North Carolina HBCUs and NCCHCA involves recruiting sophomores for Still Scholars, a two-year program preparing students for PA school application processes. Those with a minimum 3.4 GPA undergo didactic education in Arizona before returning to North Carolina for clinical education.

Successful recruitment from hometown CHCs and HBCUs, coupled with community-based clinical education, support equitable community health in North Carolina and nationally. ATSU's recruitment programs, evidenced by data from ATSU-DPAS, highlight their achievements.