Cal State San Bernardino receives $10 million for new medical program

California’s 2022-23 budget has designated $10 million to Cal State San Bernardino (CSUSB) to establish a Master of Science Physician Assistant (MSPA) Program to help address the critical shortage of healthcare professionals serving the Inland Empire.

The shortage of healthcare professionals in the Inland Empire is particularly severe, with just 35 primary care physicians per 100,000 patients – far fewer than the recommended range of 60 to 80 primary care physicians per 100,000 patients.

Sastry G. Pantula, dean of the CSUSB College of Natural Sciences, where the program will be housed, said, “This is a tremendous opportunity to truly make a deep and profound impact on the health and wellness of our local communities. A need for training healthcare professionals, especially physician assistants, is obvious and the lingering pandemic extenuated the need further.

“The College of Natural Sciences at CSUSB has been a leader in training future nurses, healthcare professionals, kinesiologists and sending its science graduates to medical programs,” Pantula said. “We are very grateful for this funding from the state to develop, get accredited, and launch the program that will have a long-term, positive impact in having healthy people in this community.”

The MSPA program is expected to be launched in fall of 2024 with a cohort of 30 students, and grow to a maximum of 85 students within three years. CSUSB will give preferred admission to eligible permanent inland area students with the goal of retaining these future physician assistants in the region.

CSUSB will be the first Southern California public university to offer the program.