To keep women competitive in the workplace, Stephens College is adding a new Academy of Health Sciences. The academy will feature a variety of different curriculum including a co-ed program designed for K-12 to undergraduate students as well as a new Master of Physician Assistant program.
Stephens often invites youth in the community to participate and benefit from their programs, this one is no different.
“So we really want to get children, teens, young adults to start thinking about careers and the potential in the industry,” said Janese Silvey, Communications Director for Stephens College. “Hopefully this academy with our health sciences degrees and programs will foster that, and feed into that industry pipeline.”
All the programming is currently under development with the assistance of Program Executive Director Debbie Brunner and a panel of advisory board professionals. Silvey says that Stephens will incorporate hands-on components through internships and summer sessions.
The Master of Physician Assistant program curriculum is expected to launch in 2016. A call for the need of such a program is the growing shortage of health practitioners across the state and particularly in rural areas of Missouri. The Missouri Area Health Education Centers published a 2013 report identifying 185 areas with professional shortages.
The new academy’s programming is a comprehensive push to strengthen one of Stephens’ most advanced departments. “Certainly we have a strong biology program we’ve had for years. Equestrian science is uniquely equipped to prepare women for veterinary medicine schools,” Silvey said.
According to Silvey, Stephens is actively working and excited to further the college’s “legacy of excellence and science.”
