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News Release: Trailblazing program welcomes a new class

September 3, 2014 — 

The first and only Physician Assistant master’s training program in Canada has successfully retained the majority of its graduates to meet the health-care needs of Manitobans. Twelve new students will enter the University of Manitoba’s Masters of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) program this year.

Members of the Class of 2016 will recite their Hippocratic Oath as part of inaugural exercises tomorrow morning at the U of M’s Bannatyne Campus.

The MPAS program received over 180 applications for the fall 2014 intake year with a minimum of one applicant from each province. Up to 12 candidates are accepted into the two-year program offered through the College of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences and Faculty of Graduate Studies at the University of Manitoba.

Since first launching in September 2008 the program has graduated 57 students; 20 per cent are working in rural communities across Canada; and 89 per cent of graduates are currently working in Manitoba.

“We have successfully retained in Manitoba 100 per cent of the last two graduating classes; I think this is remarkable,” says Brian Postl, Dean of Medicine and Dean & Vice-Provost (Health Sciences). “Manitobans will benefit through this growth in numbers; and health care teams will also see a positive impact as PAs continue to fill important roles in patient care and health-care delivery.”

Who: Physician Assistant Class of 2016
What: Inaugural Day Exercises
When: Thursday, September 4, 2014 from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m.
Where: John Buhler Research Centre Atrium, 715 McDermot Avenue, Bannatyne Campus, University of Manitoba

MPAS curriculum includes both classroom-based instruction and clinical training completed at a variety of clinical teaching sites in Winnipeg, throughout the province, and at selected sites across Canada.

Physician assistants work as part of an inter-professional health-care team under the supervision and delegation of a physician and will support improved access for Manitoban patients. They can perform a wide range of procedures including conducting patient exams, ordering and interpreting diagnostic and therapeutic tests, performing certain procedures and prescribing medications and treatments.

 

New physician assistant students will be available for interviews (French and English) following the Inaugural Day Exercises.

For more information contact Melni Ghattora, Communications Officer, Faculty of Medicine, at: 204-272-3110 or email: melni [dot] ghattora [at] med [dot] umanitoba [dot] ca.

 

Founded in 1883 as Western Canada’s first medical school, the University of Manitoba College of Medicine has graduated more than 7,000 physicians who have become influential medical leaders, world renowned health researchers and dedicated doctors. As Manitoba’s only medical school, the U of M College of Medicine has educated and trained the majority of our province’s physicians.

 

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