Physician Assistant Program News
In the News: Chatham PA Students in PA Professional Magazine
Image credit: PA Professional a publication of the American Academy of Physician Assistants
Highmark Foundation grant enables Chatham University health science programs to partner with West Penn Allegheny patient simulation center
PITTSBURGH (February 15, 2011)... As Chatham University's Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) and Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) programs continue to grow, so too does the need for access to advanced patient simulator technology, which can greatly enhance the pre-clinical instruction of health science students. Through the generosity of a $106,850 grant from the Highmark Foundation, Chatham will partner for two years with the Simulation Teaching and Academic Research Center (STAR Center) at West Penn Allegheny Health System to provide DPT and MPAS students with access to a state-of-the-art center that replicates actual clinical environments such as acute care, obstetric and operating room settings.
"The Highmark Foundation is proud to support Chatham University and its efforts to expand patient simulator technology, said Highmark Foundation President Yvonne Cook. "With the grant, more students will enhance their learning experience and be better prepared for entering the health care work force."
"Since we first acquired our own patient simulators in 2005, our health science enrollment has increased dramatically and the technology has advanced to provide an even more realistic training environment," explained Luis A. Ramos, MS, PA-C, director of Chatham's Physician Assistant Studies program. "At the STAR Center our students will be able to engage in a full range of medical simulations that will better prepare them for real-life situations."
Patricia Downey, PT, PhD, DPT, OCS, director of the Doctor of Physical Therapy program, adds, "Through the course of this two-year program we will also collect data during and after the simulation-training period to compare with student outcomes from previous years, enabling us to further enhance our curriculum and future student success. Simulation training has been found to positively impact hospitals and medical schools. The use of simulation training has been shown to shorten the length of caregivers' learning curves, thus reducing institution's costs on errors and mistakes."
"We have always envisioned the state-of-the art STAR Center as a resource for the wider community as well as a training site for West Penn Allegheny's medical students, nursing students and others," said Donald J. Wilfong, MD, Vice Chief, Department of Medicine, West Penn Hospital, and Medical Director of the STAR Center. "We are excited to partner with Chatham in this endeavor and salute the university on its long history of excellence in higher education and commitment to educating the next generation of health professionals."
About the STAR Center
Simulation, Teaching and Academic Research (STAR) Center was established in 2007 through an initial $500,000 grant from the Highmark Foundation. Housed on The Western Pennsylvania Hospital campus in Pittsburgh's Bloomfield neighborhood, the STAR Center is a simulation-training hub for a variety of medical professionals, including nursing students, allied healthcare students, and resident-physicians, practicing clinicians, researchers and emergency medical technicians.
West Penn Hospital's STAR Center is unique because it replicates an actual clinical unit of a hospital as well as a fully equipped ambulance, enabling students to practice and perfect procedural skills, electronic charting and administration of medications. Computerized robotic mannequins mimic the physiology of human patients (blood pressure, heart rate, breath sounds, etc.) and can be programmed to display symptoms of a wide range of health conditions; supplies are set up just like hospital units, including IV administration kits, dressing carts and blood draw kits. Students can also learn emergency care for mothers and infants in the Family Birthing/Neonatal Center.
Two patient rooms replicate an intensive care unit with high-fidelity Laerdal SimMan® patient simulators. A control room between the two ICU beds allows students to be videotaped while responding to clinical scenarios set up by their instructors who can then assess and review student performance and competence with the individual and/or group. The latest SimMan® 3G is so advanced that it can cry, bleed, convulse and suffer cardiac arrest. This interactive manikin provides users with immediate feedback on the interventions as well. Four nursing bays have lower fidelity mannequins, Laerdal Nursing Anne Simulators and a Laerdal Mega Code Kid pediatric simulator. NOELLE™ Birthing and Maternal Simulator by Armstrong Medical and Sim Neonate are housed in the Family Birthing Center. The STAR Center has various add-on modules for simulation of trauma and wound care and owns and operates 18 task trainers for practicing procedures, such as lumbar punctures, intravenous therapy, central line insertions and joint injections.
The STAR Center replicates a hospital's actual medication process with a crash cart, placebos and a Pyxis® supply system with access to controlled and emergency medications allowing students to learn and practice the medication system. STAR also has a simulated hospital documentation system, CHAS. The CHAS and Pyxis simulated systems help to reduce patient and procedural errors because students have an opportunity to practice procedures prior to using them in the clinical setting, consequently allowing the student to spend more quality time with their patients.
Virtual tours of the STAR Center are available at www.wpahs.org/star/aboutus/tourStar.html.
Veteran's Day Luncheon
On November 11, 2010, Chatham University Masters of Physician Assistant Program students held a Veteran's Day luncheon to honor our veterans. This was an opportunity to support the sacrifices made by veterans as well as those currently serving in the armed forces. Serving in the armed forces demonstrates the need to serve a cause greater than oneself, and for that Chatham University said "Thank You!"
The luncheon began with a presentation from four students, three whom are veterans, and one student who is awaiting an Air Force Scholarship. Kelly Clark represented the Marine Corp, Michael Holmes represented the Army, Scott Krushinski represented the Navy, and Casey Fox represented the Air Force. The presentation began by highlighting the history of the physician assistant profession beginning with the first graduating class from Duke University, which were veteran combat medics from the Vietnam War. The primary focus of the luncheon was on the role of PAs in the military and the leadership experience one might expect to receive. Anyone who sat in on the luncheon would have appreciated the need for PAs in the military to care for both service members and their families.
Following the student's presentation, members of the faculty shared their roles as PAs within on-base military clinics and the Department of Veterans Affairs hospital system. Pete Murray PA-C talked of his experience as a Vietnam Veteran and his foray into the PA profession soon after his return from combat. Carol Ennulat PA-C and Heidi Felix PA-C talked of their experiences working as civilian contractors for the military and of their experiences as military spouses. This was an excellent time for students to ask questions about the faculty's clinical experience working with those who served in the armed forces.
Veterans Day was an opportune time to support the men and women who have served the United States of America while learning about the history of the physician assistant profession. Under the protection of those who serve, physician assistants can serve those in need.
Master of Physician Assistant Studies program at Chatham receives nearly $2 million in federal grants for education and scholarship
PITTSBURGH (September 30, 2010)... The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Health Resources and Services Administration announced this week that Chatham University's Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) program was awarded approximately $2 million in grants through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Chatham's MPAS program will receive $ 1,113,542 in funding for physician assistant training through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010, and $880,000 for scholarships over five years under the Expansion of Physician Assistant Training (EPAT).
June Chatham's MPAS program also received from HRSA a one-year $110,872 grant to fund scholarships for disadvantaged students, $44,102 of which was ARRA funded, bringing the program's 2010 fundraising total thus far to over $2.1 million. Chatham's awards are part of $130 million in HHS grants to support primary care workforce training ($42.1 mil), equipment to enhance primary care workforce training ($50.5 mil.), oral health workforce training ($23.9 mil), loan repayments for health professionals ($8.3 mil), health careers opportunity program ($2.1 mil), and patient navigator outreach and chronic disease prevention in health disparity populations ($3.8 mil).
"We are very proud of our MPAS program and I congratulate Luis Ramos, our program director, as well as our faculty and staff for receiving this grant," noted Laura S. Armesto, Ph.D., vice president for academic affairs. "The MPAS is one of Chatham's most exemplary graduate programs and this funding will help to enhance the academic component and provide needed tuition assistance to our students." "Physician assistants fill an important role in today's medical community, whether in a busy doctor's office or an underserved rural community that lacks basic care," explained Mr. Ramos, MS, PA-C. "These grants will not only benefit our program and students, but also the millions of Americans that need quality health care."
In the News
MPAS student Meghan Castagnero in the Pittsburgh's Post- Gazette
Thursday, September 30, 2010
