OGDEN, Utah — Weber State University will soon offer a master’s degree in physician assistant studies, enabling students to apply for national board certification to practice medicine and help fill the primary care physician shortage in the country.
While PAs cannot practice independently, they can do many things a doctor with a medical degree can do, and have a greater emphasis in their training on patient care.
Weber State's new PA program will focus on primary care as well as hospital care for adults.
“We’re beyond excited for our students and our community,” said Sandra Stennett, program director and chair of the Department of Physician Assistant Medicine.
Stennett said the program has selected their first class of 20 students from Weber State and other schools around the country to start coursework in January 2023.
“For several years before this program launched, many Weber State graduates were applying and getting into PA schools around the country,” said Yasmen Simonian, Dean of Weber State's Health Professions College. “This prompted us to explore the possibility of having our own PA program to keep those students here.”
Faculty in the PA program said they’re also committed to recruiting more students who identify as Hispanic or Latino, a demographic that makes up roughly one-third of Ogden’s population, who can then go on to work as providers in underserved communities.
“It’s going to have such an impact as we graduate more students and get them plugged into the healthcare workforce and help meet the needs of our community,” said Simonian.
