Preventive Medicine in PA Primary Care Training

Objective 1: to revise the PA training program in order to fully integrate education in prevention of specific chronic medical conditions, and to more effectively educate practicing providers in preventive medicine through an annual Symposium in Preventive Medicine. Chronic medical conditions will include obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Objective 2: to form partnerships with HRSA-funded Community Health Centers in order to: a) establish model sites for PA students on clinical rotations to learn best practices in preventive medicine and optimal management of chronic diseases, and b) enhance training opportunities in preventive medicine for their providers. Objective 3: to establish a PA student outreach program for schools serving grades K-12 in Eastern Kentucky in order to introduce an at-risk Appalachian population to healthy lifestyle choices as prevention for specific chronic medical conditions, and promote the health professions as a future career. Objective 4: to improve outcomes for the PA clinical year experience by expanding on the use of standardized patients in a training model that was initiated and successfully piloted under funding by a FIPSE grant. These objectives will serve to advance the priorities ofthe Bureau of Health Professions by preparing Physician Assistants to be responsive to the challenges of caring for an aging population with increasing prevalence of chronic disease. Additionally, the emphasis on prevention of these chronic diseases will enable our graduates to have a significant impact in reducing the burden of chronic disease in the future. Through the use of diverse mechanisms such as an annual Symposium on Preventive Medicine presented by national experts, and utilization of community partnerships to increase young people's awareness and preparation for the health professions, dissemination of the preventive medicine message will be enhanced for a generation of medical providers.