ATSU-KCOM awarded $1.2 million HRSA grant to enhance primary care education
Posted: July 22, 2015
A.T. Still University’s Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (ATSU-KCOM) announced today a $1.2 million, five-year grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).
Grant funding will enhance primary care education and better prepare medical students to reduce health disparities and barriers to care for vulnerable populations, improve patient engagement, and become leaders in the Primary Care Workforce Competencies endorsed by the Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative.
“This funding will position ATSU students for the ever-changing healthcare environment and strengthen the focus on primary care needs,” said grant project director Margaret Wilson, DO, dean ATSU-KCOM. “Developing leaders for communities to address issues such as chronic disease management, health disparities, and patient engagement will improve health for all.”
Increasing demand for new primary care graduates – coupled with growing retirement of seasoned providers – suggests the profession will sorely lack primary care leaders needed to transform healthcare systems.
“Our University is grateful for this opportunity to enhance primary care education of future healthcare leaders. This grant will help ensure a new generation of healthcare providers meet the primary care needs of patients well into the future,” said ATSU President Craig M. Phelps, DO.
Through HRSA funding, ATSU-KCOM will look to address these issues through strategic planning that prioritizes innovative educational approaches for an evolving healthcare workforce, strategic partnerships, diversity, and interprofessional education.
Acknowledgement and Disclaimer: This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number TOBHP28556; grant title Primary Care Training and Enhancement; total award amount of $1,203,168; with 43 percent financed with nongovernmental sources. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.