UNE Physician Assistant Program, only one in the state, receives $990,000 HRSA Grant

The University of New England's Westbrook College of Health Professions is pleased to announce that the Physician Assistant Program - the only program in the state - has been awarded a Health Resources and Services Administration Affordable Care Act Grant totaling $990,000.  

The goal of the "Expansion of Physician Assistant Training Program Grant" is to meet the primary care shortages that are facing Maine and the rest of the nation. The grant will provide $22,000 in annual tuition reimbursement to each of five additional students accepted into the program each year for the five-year length of the grant. Awards will be made to individual students who apply and demonstrate a commitment to practice in an area of primary care in the state of Maine. 

The principle investigator of the grant, Dr. George Bottomley, director of UNE's Physician Assistant Program, has partnered with the Penobscot Community Health Center and St. Joseph Hospital system in Bangor to create a unique clinical training experience. Funded students will receive the first 12-month didactic training of their 24-month master's level program at UNE's Portland campus, then relocate to Bangor for a 12-month immersion experience in primary care for the underserved.

The Penobscot Community Health Center is the largest Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in Maine with 16 regional primary care practices focusing on comprehensive health care for underserved and underinsured rural populations and will serve as the principal location for out-patient clinical rotations.

The debt incurred by their medical education is often a deterrent for students interested in pursuing a career in primary care, where salaries are lower than those in specialty care areas.  Students who receive tuition reimbursement through this grant are more likely to consider primary care careers because of a reduction in financial barriers.