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Michael Roscoe Named Founding Director of UE’s Physician Assistant Program; the First Program of its Kind in the Area

Posted: Wednesday, August 5, 2015

After conducting a national search, the University of Evansville has named Michael Roscoe as founding director and chair of UE’s new Department of Physician Assistant Science.

“I am very excited to come to UE and help develop this program,” Roscoe says. “UE is an excellent school with a history of outstanding health care programs. There is a need in Evansville and the surrounding region for increased access to medical care. This program will help fill the gap. There is a real excitement in the community to work together for this goal, and it is the collaboration and excitement that brought me back to Evansville.”

Roscoe comes to his position at the University of Evansville from Butler University where he was chair of health sciences and assistant dean of inter-professional education. Previously, he served as associate professor and program director of the physician assistant program at Butler. 

A former Evansville resident and Memorial High School graduate, Roscoe earned a PhD in international health science from Trident University International. He has two master’s degrees, one in physician assistant studies with a concentration in emergency medicine from the University of Nebraska, and one in biology from Purdue University. Roscoe has bachelor’s degrees from Butler University in biology and in health science. He has worked clinically in emergency medicine as an EMT and as a paramedic.

In 2000, Roscoe joined the Indiana National Guard and was deployed with the 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team to Afghanistan in 2004-05 for an 18 month deployment. He had a second combat tour in Iraq in 2008-09.  He has been decorated by the military with numerous awards including the Bronze Star Medal.

Roscoe was named a distinguished Fellow of the American Academy of Physician Assistants by his professional colleagues. He was also awarded the American Academy of Physician Assistants’ Paragon Award and the Indiana Academy of Physician Assistants’ PA of the Year Award. Roscoe has been active in the physician assistant profession as a peer reviewer for the Journal of Physician Assistant Education and as an active writer and presenter on topics related to physician assistant practice.

“We are delighted to have Dr. Roscoe join the University of Evansville as the founding director of our physician assistant program,” says Mary Kessler, dean of UE’s College of Education and Health Science. “This is an extremely important position for our institution and for our community. Dr. Roscoe brings the credentials, the enthusiasm, and the experience we need to lead our developing PA program. We are eager for the campus and the community to meet him.”

UE’s physician assistant program is the first in the area. This master’s-level program will begin classes in January 2017. The program will move to the multi-institutional academic health science and research center when it is completed in downtown Evansville. The program will be open to traditional college-age students and to community members seeking a second degree in a growing health care field.

“At UE, we integrate classrooms and take multidisciplinary approaches to education,” explains Kessler, “so our students are very strong in liberal arts, and many will already have skills needed by healthcare professionals.”

“PA classes don’t begin until 2017, but students can come to UE now and get started on a preparatory undergraduate degree or individual prerequisites for the program,” she says. “UE offers many degrees compatible with preparation for entry into a master’s program for physician assistants. Already starting this fall, we look forward to welcoming new freshman who are interested in becoming physician assistants.”

Physician assistants work as part of a physician-led team to provide a broad range of diagnostic, therapeutic, preventive, and health maintenance services: performing physical exams, diagnosing and treating illnesses, ordering and interpreting tests, prescribing certain medications, and more. PAs work in diverse medical and surgical settings, including family and internal medicine, emergency departments, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, general surgery, surgical sub-specialties, and mental and behavioral health care.

Click here to learn more about the physician assistant program at the University of Evansville. 

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