Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development funding will expand rural clinical training
by Bethel University
McKenzie, Tenn. - Bethel University has been awarded a $225,000 grant from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development through its Rural Healthcare Workforce Development Initiatives program. The award will support the Bethel University Physician Assistant Program in preparing practice-ready clinicians for rural and medically underserved communities across Tennessee.
The grant, titled the Rural Physician Assistant Workforce Pathways Initiative, runs through June 30, 2027. Funding will be used to:
- Increase stipends for rural clinical preceptors, the practicing providers who train and mentor physician assistant students in community settings
- Secure and expand clinical rotation sites in rural Tennessee counties
- Replace and upgrade clinical skills equipment and simulation models used to prepare students for practice
- Provide clinical uniforms for approximately 50 physician assistant students
Rural Tennessee continues to face persistent shortages of primary care providers. Many counties in the region, including Carroll, Henry, Weakley and Benton, are federally designated health professional shortage areas for primary care. Physician Assistants, who are licensed to deliver primary and specialty care, are widely recognized as one of the most flexible and scalable solutions for expanding access to care in these communities.
"This grant is an investment in the health of rural Tennessee," said Dr. Delecia Parker, dean of the College of Health Sciences. "Every clinical rotation our students complete in a rural community is a chance for them to see the need firsthand and to build the relationships that lead to a career there. By supporting the preceptors who make those rotations possible, we are strengthening the pipeline of providers for the communities that need them most."
The largest share of the grant, $130,000, is dedicated to preceptor stipends. The grant is expected to support between 110 and 130 rural rotations during the project year.
"Our preceptors are the backbone of clinical education, and rural preceptors give their time in settings where every hour matters," said Trent Scates, director of the Physician Assistant Program. "This funding lets us recognize that commitment, by providing the clinical hubs our students depend on and give more students the kind of hands-on rural experience that shapes where they choose to practice."
An additional $69,870 will fund high-fidelity simulation mannequins, procedural task trainers and other clinical skills resources, ensuring students are prepared for the procedural, diagnostic and emergency response demands of rural practice before they arrive at a clinical site.
Bethel is carrying out the initiative in partnership with West Tennessee Healthcare Henry County Hospital in Paris, the Northwest Tennessee Workforce Development Board, the American Job Centers of Northwest Tennessee and Northwest Tennessee Adult Education. Together, the partners will connect clinical training with employment pathways, workforce navigation services and outreach to career changers and incumbent health care workers interested in advanced practice careers.
"This award reflects the strength of the Physician Assistant Program and the quality of the faculty who lead it," said Dr. Joseph R. Hames, University provost. "It also reflects our commitment to academic programs that answer a real need. Preparing clinicians who are ready to serve rural Tennessee is exactly the kind of work a university like Bethel should be doing."
For more information about the Bethel University Physician Assistant Program, visit bethelu.edu.
About Bethel University
Founded in 1842, Bethel University has spent nearly 185 years helping students turn their talents into purpose. Located in McKenzie, Tennessee, within two hours of both Nashville and Memphis, Bethel is a Christian community of nearly 3,000 students from 33 states and 41 countries. The University's mission is to equip individuals for a life of service through academic, spiritual, social and experiential learning to go forth and transform the world. With 52 undergraduate programs and nine graduate programs, Bethel aims to be a leader in student-centered education through innovative academics, character formation and life skills development. For more information, visit bethelu.edu.