News Summary
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center is set to expand its Physician Assistant Studies program and mental health services in Midland. With rising demand for healthcare professionals, this expansion includes a new facility to accommodate more students and enhanced mental health resources. The program will now serve over 100 students and includes cutting-edge technology for training. The initiative aims to address community health needs while providing much-needed psychiatric services and support, reflecting a strong commitment to improving healthcare in West Texas.
Texas – Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) has announced plans to expand its Physician Assistant (PA) Studies program in Midland in response to overwhelming demand for healthcare providers in the region. The PA program currently receives nearly 2,000 applications annually for only 72 available seats, highlighting the need for more trained professionals.
The PA program, which lasts for 27 months, includes 15 months of classroom instruction in Midland, followed by 12 months of clinical rotations. Many of these rotations take place in the Permian Basin, where there is a significant focus on serving rural and underserved populations. Annually, up to 25 PA students are engaged in longer rotations in rural parts of West Texas.
To accommodate the growing interest and need, TTUHSC’s expansion plans include the construction of a new 13,396-square-foot building dedicated to faculty and administrative spaces. Additionally, an existing lecture room will undergo renovation to become an ADA-compliant testing room with an area of 2,694 square feet. These updates aim to increase the program’s capacity to serve over 100 students in the coming years, addressing the critical shortage of healthcare providers in West Texas.
Since its inception in 1999, the Nadine and Tom Craddick Physician Assistant Studies Program has graduated approximately 1,100 students and boasts an impressive 97% first-time pass rate on national board certification exams, exceeding the national average of 93%. The program integrates advanced technology for better training outcomes, utilizing tools such as immersive virtual reality and Bluetooth-enabled stethoscopes.
In addition to the PA program expansion, Texas Tech is set to enhance its mental health services in Midland. The initiative is expected to attract up to 100,000 visitors annually and potentially contribute as much as $10 million to the local economy. This development is being fueled by an $8.4 million partnership with the Midland Development Corporation (MDC) aimed at establishing a regional psychiatric services hub.
Since opening outpatient clinics in 2018, TTUHSC has provided care for over 85,000 patients, with an exponential growth in psychiatric consultations for inpatients, which have surged by more than 400%. The expansion plans also include hiring 21 additional psychiatrists over the next two years and improving services tailored for children and geriatric patients. To combat addiction and support long-term rehabilitation for chemical dependency, the new mental health facilities will offer intensive outpatient programs.
Community outreach efforts will further enhance service delivery, which may include podcasts, town hall meetings, and improved access to mental health resources through rural health care centers. The university also plans to significantly grow its psychiatry residency program from 16 to 40 residents and expand the child and adolescent fellowship program from four to eight fellows.
In parallel, TTUHSC aims to develop research initiatives focused on local mental health challenges and will host an annual international conference dedicated to rural psychiatry, enhancing its commitment to address the pressing mental health needs of the community.
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