'Huge demand' as studies begin for Alberta's inaugural class of physician assistants

Alberta's first crop of students studying to become physician assistants have hit the books at the University of Calgary and, at a time when the health-care system is under strain, demand for the program is high.

Physician assistants, also known as PAs, work under the supervision of a doctor and can examine, diagnose and treat patients. 

The University of Calgary's new, two-year master of physician assistant studies program began training its first cohort of students just a few weeks ago.

It is hoped the program will help address a shortage of health-care providers

And demand far exceeded capacity, with 200 applicants vying for 20 provincially funded spots.

"It's a very popular program like all physician assistant programs across the country," said Dr. Rahim Kachra, the program's medical director.

"We've been really excited to see the interest."

Kachra believes one of the program's key advantages is its ability to produce highly skilled clinicians in two years.

"This accelerated training allows us to quickly bolster the health-care workforce and improve access to care, particularly in areas facing critical shortages."

According to Kachra, 65 per cent of the current crop of students comes from Alberta.

"We're really excited about having a cohort that really does represent the communities in which they will live and serve," he said.

Once they've graduated, he said, the PAs will have opportunities in a variety of environments including inpatient and outpatient care in both rural communities and large urban centres.

"I get emails on a regular basis from zone medical leads across the province, from sub-specialists, from family medicine clinics," he said.

"I think everyone's quickly recognizing the advantages of having a physician assistant join their team-based care models."

In addition to the requirement of a four-year undergraduate degree, PA students must also have previous health care experience.

Students in the first cohort include EMS workers, nurses and respiratory therapists, as well as occupational and physical therapists.

"I love that aspect of being part of something new," said Mozac Samson, a paramedic who is one of the 20 students in the inaugural class. 

"Being with the Cumming School of Medicine, the things that are available … from a learning perspective is amazing, and everyday I feel myself going 'Wow, we get to learn that? That's amazing.'"

Samson said he appreciates the insights provided by other students from different health care backgrounds.

And he expects he and his colleagues will be able to help address health-care worker shortages.

"We are physician extenders. We're not replacements of physicians.… We are here to do things to free up physicians to do the cases that require their specialities."

The program is the first of its kind in Alberta.

"There is huge, huge demand for PAs," Kirsten Luomala, president of the Canadian Association of Physician Assistants (CAPA).

"We can increase the patient roster that a physician carries. So if they're carrying 1,500 patients, on average,  a PA can easily bring in another 500 patients ... so that's increased access for Albertans and for Canadians." 

According to Luomala, this is the fifth PA training program to launch in Canada and others are expanding capacity.

Adding these health care providers will help a struggling health system, she said.

• Alberta's first training program for physician assistants launches in Calgary

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"It'll decrease the amount of people who are going to go to emergency departments when they should be going to their family doctors. It's going to decrease the end health-care complications that people are seeing because they don't have access to family medicine," said Luomala.

"This is going to be a ripple effect across the system as we have more PAs trained across the country."'

In all, Luomala said there were over 2,500 applicants for 183 spots in Canada's five programs this year.

She said CAPA is working to have training spots increased across the country and has met with Alberta government officials to advocate for funding to expand the number of spots at the University of Calgary.

Luomala said she also believes there is enough demand to support a second training program in the Edmonton region.

CBC News asked the Alberta government if will consider expanding funding for physician assistant training.

In an emailed statement,  Advanced Education Minister Rajan Sawhney said the government has spent tens of millions of dollars to expand health care education through its targeted enrolment expansion initiative, which began in 2022.

Part of that money includes a $6.8 million for the creation of 40 new seats for the U of C program,  including 20 this year and 20 for a fresh group of students to enrol next year.

"Our government is committed to ensuring that Alberta students have every opportunity to succeed and contribute to Alberta's health care system, and we will continue to consider future investments in the expansion of health care related programs," the statement said.