UNC School of Medicine, Blue Cross Blue Shield Create New PA Program to Alleviate Physician Shortage

Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina and the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill are collaborating to create a physician assistant master's degree program to help reduce the state's shortage of healthcare providers.

In North Carolina, about 1 million people currently live in areas without enough healthcare providers to effectively serve their communities. The nation is also facing a growing physician shortage. The new, two-year program aims to train more healthcare providers in order to improve those numbers.

The program will provide military medic veterans the opportunity to build on the medical training they received during their service and practice medicine in North Carolina. It is expected to accept its first students in 2015.

BCBSNC has pledged $1.2 million over the next four years to help establish the curriculum and hire staff. The United States Army Special Operations Command will provide input during the program's development.

More Articles on the Physician Shortage:

Coping With Physician Burnout Through Wellness Programs
Using Hybrid Concierge Medicine to Attract, Incentivize Primary Care Physicians
3 Short-Term Ways Hospitals Can Fight the Physician Shortage

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