Touro Pa students refined their crafts
Touro University is working to resolve this potential crisis by quickly training future healthcare professionals. TOOO University School of Health Sciences in New York and Tulo Osteopathic Medicine in California, Nevada and New York have developed successful medical programs for physician assistants (PAs) and osteopathic physicians, which are replicated in underserved communities nationwide to meet this growing need.
Organic growth built on a solid foundation
Dr. Joe Tommasino is Vice President of PA Program Development and Operations and Vice President of PA Program (Northeast). “In Touro, we built a foundation,” he shares. “We currently have eight programs across the country, and we train and graduate from the most PAs of any program.”
To achieve this, the TOORO team has built a solid, reproducible infrastructure based on the original traditional PA program. The system allowed schools to organically grow into eight programs with two unique programs in their pipeline, creating the necessary consistency that leads to excellence.
Creates consistency that leads to excellence
Three locations in Middletown and Harlem in New York, as well as the ostoo Osteopathic Medicine College in Great Falls, Montana, Montana, have taken slightly different approaches. Associate Pre-Clinical Dean Dr. Steven Jones explained: “Our preclinical curriculum is the same across all three campuses. With consistent experience and opening a new campus, you don't have to start from scratch.”
Each campus also offers a “Cultural Competence of Healthcare” course designed by community leaders to reflect local culture and customs. Additionally, students will learn to meet the needs of the populations they serve as they complete their clinical rotation locally.
The success of these programs depends on many factors. From setting up a clinical hub for PA training, students have the necessary personalized support to provide consistent experience to maintain full faculty staff at each university at Osteopathic Medicine. As Dr. Jones is enthusiastic, “Turro University employs great teachers. Students who come here know that the faculty are excellent and they really care about them.”
