DePaul Community Health Centers (DCHC), which operates 11 health centers in the greater New Orleans area, and A.T. Still University (ATSU), with locations in Mesa, Ariz., Santa Maria, Cal. and Kirksville, Mo., recently executed a learning facilitation and clinical experience agreement designed to train students from ATSU’s physician assistant (PA) programs. The first cohort of students began their year of training at DCHC in September 2021, and additional cohorts will arrive each subsequent fall.
Students, in their second year of instruction, will train on-site with DCHC, where they will participate in five clinical rotations. The clinical rotations include the disciplines of family medicine, internal medicine, women’s health, pediatrics, and behavioral health. DCHC will also assist with securing emergency medicine, general surgery, and an elective rotation for the ATSU students.
Licensed PAs and other licensed providers at DCHC, along with designated ATSU faculty, are coordinating and supervising instruction and clinical rotations. Dr. Michael G. Griffin, DCHC’s president and CEO, believes this partnership enhances the importance of community healthcare and its viability.
“The majority of people who work in community health care demonstrate a passion for working with the patients we serve, and DCHC is proud of its long history of providing compassionate care to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay,” said Griffin. “We are happy that A.T. Still University recognizes our expertise in community health care by agreeing to partner with us to ensure the institution’s students receive specialized, conceptual, practical, and clinical learning experiences with a Federally Qualified Health Center.”
Gary Cloud, PhD, ATSU’s vice president, strategic partnerships, echoes Griffin’s sentiments.
“ATSU is committed to preparing healers for underserved communities, and is partnered with the nation’s safety net of community health centers to do so,” he said.
Timothy Irizarry, a PA at DCHC, serves as one of the lead coordinators of the ATSU students’ instruction. He views this initiative as a key component to increasing the number of Pas, nationally.
“We need to have more providers. The national attrition rate for physicians is great and we’re not replacing them. I think we can do a good job of trying to fill some of the gaps with non-physician providers,” said Irazarry. “The patients are going to end up being the beneficiaries of everything that we do. The students, in just a few weeks, have already said our patients are awesome—they’re accepting, giving, and loving. The patients love having the students in the exam rooms.”