Learn here.
Learn about our partnership with A.T. Still University.
Once you graduate, remember that we are always on the lookout for dedicated, mission driven professionals
who live the mission of safety-net public healthcare.
You may be closer than you think to a meaningful career!
Partnered for Your Success
A.T. Still University (ATSU) has partnered with the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) to develop the Central Coast Physician Assistant (CCPA) program, with the goal of educating community-oriented physician assistants who will provide whole-person primary care to our nation’s underserved communities.
Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies – California
The CCPA program is a 24-month residential master’s degree program based in Santa Maria, California. Students will spend one year on campus in Santa Maria for the preclinical phase of the program. Then, students will enter the clinical phase, including 35 weeks of supervised clinical practice experiences (SCPEs) in various medical disciplines. Students will spend the clinical phase primarily at one of the partnered Community Health Centers (CHCs) located across the U.S.
CCPA program prepares highly competent professionals in the science of medicine steeped in the osteopathic tradition of body, mind, and spirit care for the whole person and service to underserved populations. From their first day, CCPA students are immersed in engaged scholarship, threading the philosophy of whole-person healthcare and serving the underserved through classes and activities designed to foster critical thinking.
Curriculum
Faculty and staff work closely with CCPA students, helping them develop professional attributes and clinical problem-solving skills necessary for efficient and optimal patient care. CCPA program aims to produce providers who will enter the CHC system and will provide primary care in the following community health specialties:
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- Family medicine
- General internal medicine
- General pediatrics
- Women’s health
- Behavioral health/psychiatry
Hometown scholars
Are you a Hometown Scholar? The Hometown Scholars program helps ATSU meet the needs of community health centers by identifying, attracting, and educating dedicated, motivated, and qualified community-minded healers. Hometown Scholar-endorsed applicants may receive advance applicant consideration.
LATEST NEWS
It is becoming an all too familiar scenario that we hear about nationwide – and it hit home for parents of high-schoolers in Santa Maria. The recent lockdown of Pioneer Valley and Santa Maria high schools has brought school safety issues to the forefront of our concerns. As parents, it’s crucial to understand how to communicate with our children about these issues, as it plays a vital role in recognizing and preventing acts of violence.
In May of 1978, Community Health Centers (CHC) opened its doors as a single health clinic in Nipomo, California, with a mission to provide quality and affordable healthcare services to the underserved communities of the Central Coast. Now, 45 years later, CHC has become a leader in community healthcare with 28 clinics in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, providing a comprehensive range of services to thousands of patients.
National Nurses Week is celebrated annually to honor the contributions and achievements of nurses across our country. The week-long celebration begins on May 6th and ends on May 12th, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, regarded as the founder of modern nursing. This year’s theme, “You Make A Difference,” is especially timely as the role that nurses have played in providing care to patients during the COVID-19 pandemic was more important than ever.
