Mission

The mission of the RRCC PA Program is to prepare physician assistants to serve all communities by practicing professional, empathetic, inclusive, team-based medicine with a focus on primary care and an emphasis on excellence.

Goals

The goals of the RRCC PA program are to:

1. Train and graduate competent PAs

The success of the program in meeting this goal is demonstrated through:

a.    A first-time PANCE pass rate comparable to the national average based upon cohort size equivalency

b.    A graduation rate of greater than 90%

• In 2023, the RRCC graduation rate was 97%

2.    Promote the development of professionalism and professional identity

The success of the program in meeting this goal is demonstrated through:

a.    Content and advising designed to teach, monitor, and promote professionalism

• Content and assessment in program courses
• Facutly, preceptor, and community partner panel presentations and Q&A sessions 
• Advising forms evaluating professionalism
• Preceptor evaluations assessing professionalism
• In 2023, no student attrition occurred due to professionalism alone

b.    Produce graduates with professionalism appropriate for the workplace

• In 2023, all graduates passed required professionalism expectations
• Post-graduation survey of class of 2023, 97% of respondents(30 of 31) indicated that the program prepared them for professionalism aspects of healthcare in the workplace. 

3.    Deliver a primary care-focused*, team-based curriculum

The success of the program in meeting this goal is demonstrated through:

a.    Curriculum content taught by organ system with a primary-care focus

• Annual Program review of curriculum 

b.    Providing clinical experiences in primary care to include populations across the lifespan

• Annual Program review of clinical curriculum and ongoing student patient logs

c.    A goal of 50% of graduates with an interest in practicing in primary care

• In 2023, 87% of graduates displayed an interest in accepting a job in primary care

* Health services that cover a range of prevention, wellness, and treatment for illnesses seen across the lifespan 

4.    Emphasize the underserved/rural practice of medicine

The success of the program in meeting this goal is demonstrated through:

a.    Delivering content and assessment that examines the challenges and opportunities in underserved/rural medical practice

• Content in program courses- Professional Seminar courses and Advanced Practice Seminar

b.    Providing at least two underserved and/or rural clinical experiences per student

• Met each year with generally up to 4 underserved/rural experiences per student
• In 2022, the program received funding for a rural immersion grant providing extend learning opportunities. Twelve students from the class of 2023 completed the immersion track.

c. A goal of 30% of graduates with an interest in rural medicine

• In 2023, 81% of graduates displayed an interest in accepting a job in a rural community upon graduation. 

5.    Serve the community

The success of the program in meeting this goal is demonstrated through:

a.    Providing community service opportunities

• Sites such as Community Table and Patterson Elementary health fair

b.    Service to the community as a student portfolio requirement

• Service-learning synopsis to be included in final portfolio for graduation
• 100% of graduates in 2023 met the goal of 6 hours of community service.

6.    Foster a climate of belonging

The success of the program meeting this goal is demonstrated through:

         a.   Discouraging cohort competition

         b.   Faculty availability to all students

         c.   Provide an opportunity for students to have a graduate mentor of a similar background as a support through the program

d.    RRCC resources including affinity groups, Office of Inclusion and Diversity, counseling services, Veteran's support, and Accessibility Services

• The success of meeting this goal is demonstrated through an annual Program self-assessment of these aspects
• In 2023, 90% of the graduates felt a sense of belonging