The grant will be used for the development of HPU's new Master of Medical Science-Physician Assistant Program, anticipated to matriculate its first class in January 2025.
HPU has received a $1.8 million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Labor for the development of its new Master of Medical Science-Physician Assistant program (PA-MMS). This landmark grant will work to address the critical shortages in the healthcare workforce, diversify the PA profession, and advance health equity among communities in Hawaiʻi.
“This significant funding marks a crucial advancement in Hawaiʻi Pacific University’s efforts to meet the healthcare needs of our state,” said HPU Senior Vice President of Strategic Initiatives and Chief Strategy Officer Jennifer Walsh, Ph.D. “We are deeply grateful to Senators Brian Schatz and Mazie Hirono for their unwavering support and dedication to improving healthcare access and equity in our state. Their leadership was instrumental in securing this funding, which will enable us to cultivate a diverse and highly skilled cohort of physician assistants committed to serving our unique communities.”
The entire congressional delegation unanimously supported the grant, with U.S. Senators Brian Schatz and Mazie Hirono spearheading the effort. This funding was part of a larger package, totaling nearly $400 million designated for Hawaiʻi, a notable achievement led by Senator Schatz and signed into law in March 2024.
The MMS-PA program at HPU is the first and only physician assistant program in the state delivered out of a Hawaiʻi institution and anticipates matriculating its first class in January 2025. In July 2024, the MMS-PA program was granted accreditation-provisional status by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA).*
HPU’s MMS-PA program will pioneer a locally driven solution to the state's healthcare workforce challenges. With a focus on addressing critical shortages, diversifying the PA profession, and promoting health equity, the 24-month graduate program aims to produce three dozen highly educated and skilled clinicians annually. Students will have the opportunity to engage in remote and in-person learning that provides daily synchronous and asynchronous engagement with experienced faculty possessing diverse scientific and clinical expertise. Given Hawaiʻi's pressing need for healthcare providers, particularly in primary care, the program's emphasis on preparing PAs to serve across all medical specialties is paramount.
As of 2024, there is a significant need for PAs in Hawaiʻi. Despite recent growth within the state, Hawaiʻi still lags the national average. Limited options for PA education locally have hindered workforce expansion, necessitating costly recruitment efforts from the continental U.S. By establishing the first Hawaiʻi-based PA program, HPU aims to cultivate a sustainable pipeline of talented healthcare professionals tailored to the unique needs of Hawaiʻi's communities.
HPU is poised to bolster the state's healthcare workforce and address critical shortages. The University’s commitment to community service is evident in their strategic plan for 2020-2024, which prioritized the expansion of high-demand graduate health science programs.
The recent launch of HPU’s Doctor of Physical Therapy Program (DPT), enrolling its inaugural cohort of 100 students in summer 2022, and the debut of the Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) program in spring 2024, mark significant healthcare milestones for Hawaiʻi. Together, these initiatives synergize to meet pressing workforce needs, solidifying HPU's role as a leader in healthcare education and service.
To learn more about the HPU PA program, click here.
*The ARC-PA has granted Accreditation-Provisional status to the Hawaiʻi Pacific University Master of Medical Science-Physician Assistant Program sponsored by Hawaii Pacific University.
Accreditation-Provisional is an accreditation status granted when the plans and resource allocation, if fully implemented as planned, of a proposed program that has not yet enrolled students appear to demonstrate the program’s ability to meet the ARC-PA Standards or when a program holding Accreditation- Provisional status appears to demonstrate continued progress in complying with the Standards as it prepares for the graduation of the first class (cohort) of students.
Accreditation-Provisional does not ensure any subsequent accreditation status. It is limited to no more than five years from matriculation of the first class.
The program’s accreditation history can be viewed on the ARC-PA website at https://www.arc-pa.org/accreditation-history-hawaii-pacific-university/.
