The University of Wisconsin-Platteville is several steps closer to the launch of a new partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Madison Physician Assistant Program. The new program, called UW-Madison WisPACT@ UW-Platteville, will allow UW-Platteville students to earn a degree through UW-Madison’s Master of Physician Assistant Studies Program, while remaining on the UW-Platteville campus to complete their classes.
“This collaborative program with the nationally recognized UW-Madison Physician Assistant program is an intentional effort to help meet the significant rural health care professional needs,” said Dr. Wayne Weber, dean of the UW-Platteville College of Business, Industry, Life Science and Agriculture. “It is an incredible opportunity for students in the tri-state area to pursue their undergraduate degree in biology and transition directly into a PA program all at UW-Platteville.”
In 2017, UW-Platteville hosted a Rural Health Care Summit which identified a primary challenge in the industry as recruitment and retention of talent in rural areas. In 2019, UW-Platteville began exploring the partnership with UW-Madison.
Last fall, UW-Platteville and UW-Madison signed a memorandum of understanding and outlined the following objectives of the partnership.
- Increase the number of physician assistants who enter primary care practice in the rural and underserved region of Southwest Wisconsin by establishing a distant campus at UW-Platteville
- Expand physician assistant educational opportunities in Wisconsin and the tri-state area
- Establish a 3+2 training option for UW-Platteville students to streamline educational training
- Develop UW-Platteville graduates into physician assistant professionals who will ultimately practice in the rural areas of Wisconsin and the tri-state area
- Retain UW-Platteville graduates in Southwest Wisconsin and the tri-state area
The first floor of Ullrich Hall will be the future home of the UW-Madison WisPACT@ UW-Platteville program. The final design for Ullrich Hall renovations was completed in May and construction is scheduled to begin in October.
Officials are currently working on accreditation documentation and the first cohort of students is anticipated to be selected for the program in spring 2023.