91制片厂

Students from the Physician Assistant Studies program outside of the mobile healthcare clinic.

Touro PA Program Awarded $1 Million Federal Faculty Development Grant to Enhance Healthcare for Disadvantaged Populations

The Physician Assistant Studies (PA) program at 91制片厂 recently received a $1 million federal grant from the Health Resources and Services 91制片厂 (HRSA) for faculty development research to improve healthcare for disadvantaged populations.

Touro contracted with the Washington D.C.-based consulting firm McAllister & Quinn, who helped identify the grant and led the Touro team in the writing and submission of the grant. Touro鈥檚 selection as a recipient of the $1 million federal grant is a testament to the hard work of everyone involved in the process.

After identifying the grant and reviewing the criteria with McAllister & Quinn, PA Program Director Dr. Phil Tobin immediately had a vision as to how it would best be utilized.

鈥淚 quickly thought about Amie [Duford] because of her efforts with our mobile health clinic and our clinic at The Shade Tree,鈥� he said. 鈥淥utreach is a huge focus of the PA program, and the clinics are a huge draw for students who are looking to come to Touro.鈥�

The $1 million will be distributed over a five-year period as Duford, an Assistant Professor in the PA program, joins national organizations, attends conferences and develops research initiatives to improve access to healthcare for disadvantaged populations across the country. The funding also covers Duford鈥檚 salary and provides her with a research assistant.

鈥淐ommunity outreach is the basis of our PA program, and this will allow us to improve upon all of our existing partnerships,鈥� Duford said.

HRSA had nothing but glowing reviews for Touro鈥檚 application and the comprehensive plan the university put forth.

鈥淭he application clearly demonstrates commitment to meeting the needs of the populations they serve, particularly those served through community-based settings and located in rural and underserved areas,鈥� according to the feedback provided by HRSA. 鈥淭he mentors are qualified through past education and experience to fully support the candidate鈥檚 career development plan and proposed training project.鈥�

The Touro PA program has partnered with several non-profits across the Las Vegas Valley. The mobile health clinic provides basic healthcare needs to the underserved populations living at Catholic Charities, Veterans Village II, U.S. Vets, and Village of Hope. The Stallman Touro Clinic at The Shade Tree, which Touro鈥檚 PA program has been a partner in operating since 2009, provides adult health care, preventative health measures, sick call services, and pediatric services to residents at the shelter.

Tobin credited Touro鈥檚 existing community outreach initiatives as deciding factors in the university receiving the grant.

鈥淭he Touro mission is to serve, to lead, and to teach, and this grant will help us support our mission,鈥� said Shelley Berkley, CEO and Senior Provost of Touro University Western Division. 鈥淲ith our PA mobile health clinic and The Touro Stallman Clinic at The Shade Tree, our PA program has impacted many lives throughout the Southern Nevada community.鈥�

Duford, a 2007 graduate of Touro鈥檚 PA program, described the grant as a 鈥渃ommunity initiative.鈥� The grant allows her to give research presentations and participate in national panel discussions regarding healthcare for displaced populations, something she鈥檚 incredibly passionate about.

鈥淎s we develop these community partnerships, I鈥檓 encouraging our students to work in the primary care setting,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 think primary care is where we can be most valuable as PA鈥檚.鈥�

Touro was one of only three national PA programs to win the faculty development grant, and Tobin is hopeful that Duford鈥檚 research will make an impact nationwide.

鈥淢aking Amie an 鈥榚xpert鈥� is going to help all PA programs because she鈥檒l be presenting at national conferences where they can use her ideas and the initiatives that we have already started,鈥� he said. 鈥淓very PA program could have a mobile clinic. If we could make that happen, we could change healthcare for disadvantaged people across the country.鈥�