ATSU Center for the Future of Health Professions
Posted: February 22, 2019
Welcome to the inaugural issue of the A.T. Still University (ATSU) Health Professions Messenger, a periodic newsletter published and distributed electronically by the newly created Center for the Future of the Health Professions based in ATSU’s Department of Academic Affairs. The vision of the center is to become a national and international network and resource focused on the future of health professions; particularly those health professions in which ATSU currently has educational programs or plans to in the future. The aim of the center is to bring greater visibility to ATSU as a preeminent institution of healthcare innovation, research, and education.
The goals for this inaugural year 2018-19 include:
- 1. Publishing a periodic electronic newsletter, periodic research reports, and occasional “one pager” based on recent data and/or regulatory changes. This ATSU Health Professions Messenger is the inaugural issue.
- 2. Hosting panel discussions with experts on a variety of health policy topics. The first panel discussion was held on Sept. 11, 2018 on “The Future of Programmatic Accreditation.” The next panel discussion topic will be “The Challenge of Clinical Training Sites.”
- 3. Hosting a page on ATSU’s website with health policy updates and resources.
Randy Danielsen, PhD, PA-C Emeritus, DFAAPA, is the center director, and Amanda Weaver, MBA, is the program administrator. Dr. Danielsen is director of the Doctor of Medical Science (DMSc) program in the Department of Physician Assistant Studies at ATSU’s Arizona School of Health Sciences (ATSU-ASHS) in Mesa, Arizona. Since graduating from the University of Utah physician assistant (PA) program in 1974, Dr. Danielsen has distinguished himself as a clinician, educator, and editor. He received his BS in health science (cum laude) from the University of Utah in 1978, his master’s in PA studies (MPAS) from the University of Nebraska with an emphasis on internal medicine in 1997, and his PhD in interdisciplinary arts and sciences from the Union Institute and University in 2003 with an emphasis on medical education. He completed over 20 years with ATSU as academic coordinator, chair of physician assistant studies, and as dean of ATSU-ASHS, and returned as dean of ATSU-ASHS in 2012 through 2018.
Amanda Weaver, MBA, served as executive director for the Arizona Osteopathic Medical Association (AOMA) for 20 years. She received her master’s in business administration from Arizona State University in 1998. She is a 2001 graduate of the Osteopathic Heritage Health Policy Fellowship Program. She was the first recipient of the first honorary degree conferred by ATSU’s School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona in 2014. She received The Riland Medal for Health Policy from New York Institute of Technology in 2014.
In addition to Dr. Danielsen and Weaver, the following are members of the steering committee: Don Altman, DDS, DHSc, EdD, MPH, MBA, MA; Elton Bordenave, PhD, MED; Jack Dillenberg, DDS, MPH; Jim Farris, PT, PhD; Norman Gevitz, PhD (ex officio member of the center); Leonard Goldstein, DDS, PhD; Jyothi Gupta, PhD, FAOTA; John Heard, PhD; Dwight McLeod, DDS, MS; Jeffrey Morgan, DO, MA, FACOI; Tabitha Parent-Buck, AuD; Greg Rubenstein, MA; Eric Sauers, PhD, ATC, FNATA; Albert Simon, DHSc, MEd, PA-C; Robert Trombly, DDS, JD; and Margaret Wilson, DO, ‘82.