SMHS to present Master of Physician Assistant Studies degrees

GRAND FORKS, N.D.—The Department of Physician Assistant Studies Hooding Ceremony for the Master of Physician Assistant Studies Class of 2017 at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences will take place on Friday, May 12, at 2:00 p.m. at the School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Official diplomas will be granted during University of North Dakota Commencement on Saturday, May 13. Thirty-three students will receive their Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) degree. The program comprises a 24-month curriculum and includes a combination of online coursework, classroom experiences on campus, and clinical experiences under the supervision of a physician or physician assistant in rural or underserved primary care areas. The primary mission of the University of North Dakota Department of Physician Assistant Studies is to prepare selected students to become competent physician assistants working collaboratively with physicians, emphasizing primary care in communities within North Dakota as well as regionally, nationally, and globally. With this mission, the goal is to improve access to healthcare, help alleviate shortages of primary care providers, and deliver quality, affordable, and comprehensive healthcare to rural or underserved populations. To date, the program has 1,780 graduates who are employed throughout the United States (including Hawaii, Alaska, and the Virgin Islands), Canada, and overseas. The program’s success in meeting its mission is evidenced by the following over the past three graduating classes 75 percent of recent graduates are employed in primary care practices 57 percent of recent graduates reside in the same city or town as when they graduated (trained and retained as medical providers in home areas), and 44 percent of recent graduates are practicing in a rural area (defined as fewer than 25,000 people). SMHS Senior Associate Dean for Education Gwen Halaas, MD, MBA, and Associate Dean for Health Sciences Tom Mohr, PT, PhD, will offer welcoming remarks along with Department of Physician Assistant Studies Chair Jeanie McHugo, PhD, PA-C. SMHS Associate Professor Eric Johnson, MD, medical director for the SMHS Department of Physician Assistant Studies, will deliver closing remarks. Awards will be given to academically outstanding students, committed preceptors, and students who performed well on their scholarly projects. Students will be hooded by their family and friends. For a complete list of the graduates with their hometowns, please visit https://goo.gl/rKjRrj. ### Denis F. MacLeod Assistant Director, Office of Alumni and Community Relations University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences 1301 N Columbia Road, Stop 9037 | Room W103 | Grand Forks, ND 58202-9037 701.777.2733 direct | 218.779.3107 cell denis.macleod@med.UND.edu www.med.UND.ed