PROVO, Utah, Apr. 16, 2019 — The Master of Physician Assistant (PA) Studies degree program at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions was granted Accreditation-Continued status by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). Accreditation-Continued status is granted when a currently accredited program is in compliance with the ARC-PA standards.
 
“This is another great success for Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions to help impact the future of healthcare,” said Mark J. Horacek, PT, PhD, executive vice president for Academic Affairs and Provost at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions (RMUoHP). “The Physician Assistant program was awarded the status for 10-years, which is the maximum duration for a PA program. The accreditation status is a result of the previous five years of accreditation processes, institutional support, and outstanding program outcomes resulting from countless hours of dedication, planning and execution.”
 
Previously, the PA program held Accreditation-Provisional status. Following an initial site visit in 2014, a mid-cycle site visit in 2016, and a final provisional site visit in 2018, the program was granted Accreditation-Continued status.
 
According to the ARC-PA, “The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. has granted Accreditation-Continued status to the Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions Physician Assistant Program sponsored by Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions. Accreditation-Continued is an accreditation status granted when a currently accredited program is in compliance with the ARC-PA Standards.”
 
“Receiving Accreditation-Continued status bolsters confidence in our graduate and future students who will know that the program provides the expected education for entry level Physician Assistants,” said Michael Nelson, DHSc, MPAS, PA-C, Department Chair and Master of Physician Assistant Studies program director at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions. “The new status means the medical community has an additional source of Physician Assistant training to help meet the needs of the healthcare provider shortage in Utah and across the nation.”
 
The RMUoHP Masters of Physician Assistant Studies program is designed to educate outstanding clinicians equipped to handle the challenges of practicing medicine in a multifaceted and complex healthcare system. The program emphasizes a holistic patient-centered care approach, educating students not only in the foundational domains of medical knowledge and patient care, but also to:
 

• approach complex health problems through sound clinical reasoning, with sensitivity for the unique situation and concerns of each individual patient,
• leverage the powers of information technology and collaborative networking to make thoughtful, evidence-based decisions at the point-of-care,
• master the art of connecting with patients of diverse characteristics and backgrounds, and
• serve as ethical professionals who stand as examples and leaders in their communities and amongst their colleagues.

 
In addition to the Master of Physician Assistant Studies degree program, in 2019 RMUoHP began offering a new Doctor of Medical Science (DMSc) degree program designed to expand PAs' careers focused on skills, contributions, and leadership.
 
About Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions
 
Founded in 1998 and located in Provo, Utah, Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions (RMUoHP) is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, an institutional accrediting body recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. This accreditation is the highest achievable in the United States. RMUoHP offers graduate healthcare education exclusively and has  a reputation for high-quality, evidence-based, and outcomes-oriented healthcare programs.   www.rm.edu
 
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One of the great privileges I have is working with the great people bringing the proposed Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine to Utah and Utah County. It will be a great educational campus that will provide new doctors from among Utah's own population. The benefits of increased professional healthcare professionals will help people throughout the state but especially in our rural areas.

I was pleased to attend and photo document the inaugural Board of Trustees meeting on March 25. 

​The Proposed Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine Board of Trustees holds inaugural meeting

​Inaugural Trustees and officers instated
 
PROVO, Utah, Mar. 26, 2019 – The Board of Trustees for the proposed Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine met for the first time Monday and instated Trustee members and approved bylaws and policies. Francis Gibson, MSW, MBA, Utah House Representative and House Majority Leader, and CEO of Orem Community Hospital was appointed Chair.
 
The Board of Trustees is the governing body of the proposed Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine and will oversee management responsibility for the construction, completion, and eventual operation of the proposed college as well as the management of the accreditation process.
 
The proposed Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine will be established in Provo and has received broad support financially and throughout Utah County. The makeup of the Trustee members demonstrates this support.
 
In addition to the instatement of the new Board of Trustees, the proposed Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine received letters of endorsement from Provo City, Brigham Young University, Utah Valley University, the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development, the Utah Hospital Association, the Utah Valley Chamber of Commerce, Utah County Commissioners, Provo School District,  hospital systems and elected officials.
 
Board Officers approved and instated include:

• Francis Gibson, MSW, MBA, Board Chair
• Morris D. Linton, Board Vice-chair
• Sean R. Curzon, Board Secretary
• Trevor Smith, Board Treasurer

 
The proposed Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine executive officers approved by the Board:

• Richard P. Nielsen, PT, DHSc, ECS, Founding President and Chief Executive Officer
• John Dougherty, Founding Dean
• Jennifer Brown, CNT, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
• Michael Rhodes, MD, Associate Dean for Medical Affairs
• Jeff Bate, MBA, Chief Financial Office

 
Speaking to the Board, Gibson said, “The proposed Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine will be vital for the community, the state, and the world. I’m looking forward to working with each of you on the Board who will sacrifice and donate your time to make this medical school a great school.”
 
One of the key goals of the proposed Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine is to help increase the supply of doctors in the region. According to studies by the Association of American Medical Colleges, Utah is ranked 49th in the nation for active patient care, primary care physicians per 100,000 population and 44th in the nation for active physicians per 100,000. Utah is ranked 44th among all states in the number of MD and DO student enrollments with most Utah resident medical students leaving the state to pursue their medical degrees.
 
“As a state we are growing at a very fast pace,” said Gibson. “We already know students will stay and work where they are educated. This school will give Utah students an opportunity to receive a medical education they can use to provide healthcare to people throughout the state.”
 
The appointed executive staff and Board will now focus on the accreditation process as construction begins on the proposed medical school campus.
 
The architect for the proposed Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine is MHTN Architects based in Salt Lake City. The construction project is managed by Westland Construction based in Orem, Utah.
 
The inaugural proposed Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine Board of Trustees members include:
 
Francis Gibson, MSW, MBA
CEO - Orem Community Hospital - Intermountain Healthcare
Majority Leader - Utah House of Representatives
Spanish Fork, UT
 
Richard P. Nielsen, PT, DHSc, ECS
Founding NCOM President
 
John Dougherty, DO, FACOFP, FAOASM, FAODME
Founding Dean
 
Andy Noorda
Managing Member - The Canopy Group
Lindon, UT
 
Greg Stuart
CEO - Strategic Partners Group
Bountiful, UT
 
Heather Kahlert
Vice President - The Kahlert Foundation
Lehi, UT
 
Sean R. Curzon, D.O.
Internal Medicine - Revere Health
Orem, UT
 
Michael Skurja, DPT
President - Wasatch Education, Inc., Chair of the Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions Board of Trustees
San Diego, CA
 
John R. Curtis
United States Congressman - Utah’s 3rd Congressional District
Provo, UT
 
John F. Nemelka, M.B.A.  
NightWatch Capital Advisors, LLC
Mapleton, UT
 
Brent Israelsen, JD
Executive Chairman - Thunder Biotech, Inc.
Alpine, UT
 
Kent Loosle
President - Mountain Point Medical Center - Steward Healthcare System. 
Lehi, UT
 
Kimball Anderson, FACHE
CEO - Timpanogos Regional Hospital
Orem, UT
 
Trevor Smith, Ph.D.
System Executive Director of Health Promotion and Wellness - Intermountain Healthcare
Salt Lake City, UT
 
Vanessa Halvorsen, DO
Otolaryngology/Facial Plastics resident - Freeman Hospital
Joplin, MO
 
Jonora Searles, RN 
Vice President of Operations - EltonCo Investment
Southlake, TX
 
Norman Wright, Ph.D.,
Dean of the Woodbury School of Business - Utah Valley University
Orem, UT
 
Lieutenant Commander Shannon Lorimer, DO
Orthopedic Oncology Fellow - Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah School of Medicine
Salt Lake City, UT
 
Morris D. Linton, JD
Retired Senior Counsel at Intermountain Healthcare
Adjunct Professor - J. Reuben Clark Law School (BYU)
Salt Lake City, UT
 
About the proposed Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine
 
The proposed Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine would be an independent and freestanding institution overseen by a governing Board of Trustees located in Provo, Utah.
 
Founded and located in Provo, Utah in June 1998, Wasatch Educational will manage the development of the proposed Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine. www.wasatcheducational.com. Wasatch Educational is the holding company of Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions. The mission of Wasatch Educational is to promote and develop healthcare education institutions.
 
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