Physician Assistant Studies Program Awarded $1 Million Health Foundation Grant

Dominican University’s Physician Assistant Studies Program is the recipient of a $1 million grant from the Westlake Health Foundation.

The five-year grant will provide support for clinical preceptors, the supervisors who work directly with students and share educational feedback.

“The grant helps the PA program fund clinical preceptorships for students in various rotations, such as internal medicine, surgery, ER, women’s health, behavioral health, pediatrics and family practice,” explained Tamara Bland, interim dean of Borra College of Health Sciences.  “It gives the program more ability to reach out to preceptors in different areas and helps offset the cost for the preceptors.”

The grant further enriches the PA Studies program by diversifying the types of communities and settings in which the student rotations occur, Bland said.

Borra College leadership were “elated” to learn Dominican had been chosen for the grant, she said.

“There was a big ‘hurrah’ from the faculty members,” Bland said. “Being able to receive this grant allows us to continue to offer these rich clinical opportunities to the students.”

The Physician Assistant Studies Program received a similar grant from Westlake Health Foundation five years ago.

Dominican University is the only Illinois Catholic institution of higher learning with an accredited PA program.