The Cannon Foundation, of Concord, N.C., has made a $100,000 grant to the Ever Elon Campaign to support the university’s new master of science program in physician assistant studies. The PA program will address the ongoing shortage of primary health-care providers in many rural and urban areas by preparing skilled professionals who are ready to fill the gap in patient care and make a difference in underserved communities.
Elon’s PA students will provide critical diagnostic, therapeutic and preventative services in a cost-effective manner under the supervision of a physician. During the two-and-a-half-year program, PA students will master the principles, skills and procedures of internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, emergency medicine, psychiatry and primary-care medicine. The program could enroll its inaugural class as early as fall 2012 or January 2013.
The Cannon Foundation has been a longtime donor to the university, making generous gifts to support the Ernest A. Koury Sr. Business Center and R.N. Ellington Health & Counseling Center among other initiatives.
“The Cannon Foundation’s Board of Directors has confidence in Elon because of the progress it has made in recent years,” says Frank Davis, executive director. “The foundation has long had an interest in health care for rural, underserved populations, and Elon has indicated this would be a focus of its PA program.”
“We are grateful to The Cannon Foundation for once again partnering with Elon by investing in our vision for this important new academic program,” says Jim Piatt, vice president for university advancement.