SEASIDE, Ca., November 8, 2018 – California State University, Monterey Bay’s (CSUMB) Master of Science Physician Assistant (MSPA) program welcomed it’s inaugural class of 33 students to campus for orientation from November 5-8, 2018 at CSUMB.

The future MSPA students, who will officially begin class January 7, 2019, spent the week meeting their faculty, receiving information about campus services and becoming acquainted with the other members of the cohort.

On Tuesday, November 6th the students received iPad training, took mock classes and even spent time on a digital cadaver table. The weeklong orientation culminated with a lunch hosted by CSUMB College of Health Sciences & Human Services (CHSHS), Dean Britt Rios-Ellis, where she addressed the students and their families and friends.

 

We are so excited for this program to begin and that we’re able to welcome you all to campus this week. We have received such tremendous support to get this program started and I am so thankful for that support. You are all going to do great here and leave this program as a top-notch provider.”

— CHSHS Dean, Britt Rios-Ellis

CSUMB’s 28-month MSPA program is the first program of its type in the California State University (CSU) system and aims to help address the urgent need for more primary-care health providers throughout Central California.

The launch of the MSPA program at CSUMB was made possible by support from the following private and public entities: Central California Alliance for Health, Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula/Montage Health, Cypress Healthcare Partners, Doctors on Duty, George L. Mee Memorial Hospital, Mission Center Healthcare, Natividad Medical Center, Pinnacle HealthCare, Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital and Dignity Health, a California nonprofit public benefit corporation d/b/a Dominican Hospital.