By Brianna Bush
Ā Northern Light Health is expanding access to rural health care by bringing out-of-state physician assistant students to Maine.
In 2023, Northern Light Health launched a collaboration with theĀ Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, one of the country’s oldest historically Black colleges and universities. It’s all part of an initiative to give students the opportunity to complete their clinical rotations at three health locations in Maine.
“I think that it is important that everyone has access to quality care,” Katie Bandstra, a physician assistant atĀ Northern Light Health, said.
Bandstra, a former physician assistant student, took a leap of faith.
“It was super exciting to get the opportunity to travel to Maine,” Banstra said.
She traveled more than 1,000 miles from where she studied in Atlanta to start her clinical rotations at Northern Light Health.
“Rural health is a passion of mine,” Bandstra said.
The program helps physician assistant students gain hands-on experience with the hope that they will eventually pursue careers in the state of Maine.
“To get to start experiencing that as a student is something I really wanted to be a part of my clinical education,” Bandstra said.
The temporary stay turned into a permanent one and now she is three weeks into her job as a physician assistant.
“It’s super exciting for me to be doing exactly what I want to do,” Banstra said.
So far, four students have graduated from the program, and one decided to stay in Maine to start her professional career.
“I’m like a proud mother, I love it,ā Darmita Wilson, the Northern Light Health vice president of medical education, said.
Wilson works with students and providers to close the gap in health care.
“To be able to recruit by the time they graduate here is a phenomenal opportunity for us,” Wilson said.
The goal is to expand Maine’s health care workforce.
“Patients tend to really understand and take more seriously providers that look like them,” Wilson said.
There are now between 10 and 15 students expected to complete three clinical rotations as part of the program.
“The idea is that we would have a pipeline to new providers that are willing to come to Maine and work in our rural health care,” Wilson said.
Bandstra taking that leap of faith and spearheading that pipeline is hoping to inspire others too.
“Take the leap and do it,” Bandstra said.
Northern Light Health is looking to expand these clinical rotations to 10 locations across their system including facilities in Blue Hill, Greenville, and Ellsworth in an effort to expose more students to rural communities.