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Texas Tech's Physician Assistant Program Celebrates Its Fifth Year

Posted on: Monday, 10 October 2005, 18:00 CDT

By Elizabeth York, Odessa American, Texas

Oct. 10--The Texas Tech Physician Assistant program in Midland has plenty of reasons to celebrate.

The program celebrated its fifth graduating class and 105th graduate in August. Most of the graduates, who earn a master of physician assistant studies, are practicing in the western half of the state.

PAs are in demand because of an aging physician population and a growing number of people who rely upon their services, Ed Maxwell, regional dean for the program, said.

The occupation has an average starting salary of $75,000, Maxwell said. The program is appealing to students because it takes 27 months of class-time and clinicals versus seven years of medical school and residency to earn a doctor's license.

PAs help ease doctors' patient load, Maxwell said. PAs can diagnose illnesses, write prescriptions and perform minor surgeries.

"You can see the PA today or you can wait 10 days to see Dr. Jones," Maxwell said.

Many people are opting to see the PA, Maxwell said. PAs are needed considering that 94 percent of Texas is considered under-served for health care, he said. As the population has grown, medical school enrollment has remained flat, Maxwell said.

"We need more providers, we need more access to care," Maxwell said.

In 1999 the Texas Tech University Board of Regents developed the Physician Assistant Program in Midland to provide education and access to care in rural regions of West Texas. Before TTU established the program, the nearest PA program was in Fort Worth.

Gina Farrell was in the pioneer class of the P.A. program. A mother of four, Farrell worked as a nurse for three years before entering the program.

Farrell said her group had to adjust to temporary housing before the program was moved in the Dorothy and Todd Aaron Medical Science Building on the Midland College Campus.

"When we went in, we lived in trailer houses basically," Farrell said.

The new building has Internet connections, exam rooms with medical equipment and numerous study areas.

Now Farrell commutes from Odessa to the rural Family Medical Center in Monahans, which cared for about 25,000 patients from around West Texas in 2004.

"There's a lot of need for PAs," Farrell said. "We do everything."

The PA profession is something Farrell is proud to pass on to her own daughter, Ashley Browning.

Browning is a first-year student in the program.

"I originally wanted to go to medical school," Browning said, "but I started watching my Mom and liked the mid-level."

The mid-level for Browning is the ability to help a physician spread his or her services to more patients without needing to attend medical school.

Jennifer Bateman is also a first-year student in the program. Bateman said she knew that she wanted to be in the medical field.

After graduating from UTPB, Bateman called PA schools around Texas. Finally, Bateman chose the school that was closest to home, citing family and cost of living.

"I'm proud to be here, and I'm glad I didn't go to another place," Bateman said.

Reyna Barrera also chose the PA program because of its proximity. A mother of four, Barrera wanted to attend school in the area.

Barrera entered the first program class in June of 1999. Barrera worked as a surgical assistant before entering the program at age 42.

"It was like a God-send," Barrera said of the program.

Tona Scott graduated from the program in December of 2003 and works in the ER of Medical Center Hospital.

Scott wanted to enter the medical profession, but was not willing to walk down the sometimes arduous road of medical school. She entered the PA program after earning her bachelor's degree in 1999.

"Basically it was an alternative for me," Scott said. "It was my way of getting into medicine without doing full medical school."

Scott has been practicing her profession at MCH since April of 2004.

"It's very rewarding," Scott said of her job. "I'm very thankful that there was a program in the area."

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Copyright (c) 2005, Odessa American, Texas

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Source: Odessa American

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