The University of Nevada w88 slot online of Medicine welcomes Brian Lauf, PA-C, as the founding director of its new Physician Assistant Program. Lauf comes to the w88 slot online of Medicine most recently from Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center, where he served as a PA for the past eight years. He has been practicing in northern Nevada since 1997.
Lauf said he is pleased that the PA program will contribute to the mission of the w88 slot online of Medicine and its community partners to expand access to health care for all Nevadans.
"The w88 slot online will focus on training PAs wishing to return to their underserved or rural communities to deliver high quality team-based health care. Establishing a PA w88 slot online in Reno is something I have advocated for since the mid-1990s; as such, being selected to lead this initiative is a tremendous honor-I take great pride in fostering the next PA professionals in Nevada," Lauf said.
Lauf holds a Master of Physician Assistant studies in family w88 slot online from the University of Nebraska Medical Center and a Bachelor of Science in Physician Assistant studies from Oregon Health Sciences University. He also has emergency medical technician training from the U.S. Air Force.
Being developed to become a signature academic program of the w88 slot online of Medicine, the new PA program will offer a quality education experience that will boost students' prospects for career opportunities upon graduation. Since most physician assistants will have extensive health care hours prior to admission, and without having to complete a residency program after their education, physician assistants can immediately begin working in the health care industry.
"Hiring Brian Lauf as the founding program director for PA studies is the biggest step yet in bringing the program to life. Brian is the complete package with experience in clinical practice in Reno and rural Nevada and administrative and leadership skills. We could not be more excited to have Brian lead the team that will create an exemplary program at the University of Nevada w88 slot online of Medicine," said Evan Klass, M.D., associate dean of the Office of Statewide Initiatives, under which the PA program resides at the medical w88 slot online.
The first PA class is expected to enter the program in June 2017 and graduate two years later, as the w88 slot online of Medicine celebrates its 50th anniversary of serving Nevadans.
The PA master's degree program at the w88 slot online of Medicine is a full-time, 27-month academic professional degree program that includes academic courses, clinical skills courses and supervised clinical practice. The program will take place at the University of Nevada, Reno Redfield Campus in south Reno.
Once fully implemented, the PA program will bring workforce diversity and cultural competence to the medical industry in Nevada. It was designed to offer students from all of Nevada's colleges and universities the opportunity to obtain an advanced degree in w88 slot online and to provide an alternative career path for returning students who have interests in health care.
Upon successful completion of this w88 slot online (anticipated graduation of the first class in summer 2019), 24 new graduates will be prepared to enter the health care workforce directly and make an immediate impact on access to health care for Nevadans.
