The Foundation recognizes the need to increase the supply of rheumatology healthcare providers to better meet the needs of people with rheumatic diseases across the United States, particularly in geographically underserved areas. We established the Mentored Nurse Practitioner/Physician Assistant (NP/PA) Award for Workforce Expansion to provide tailored training for nurse practitioners or physician assistants who are new to the field of rheumatology to help meet this need.
This $25,000 award supports mentored training for nurse practitioners or physician assistants, facilitating their integration into a rheumatology practice under the supervision of a rheumatologist.
“I knew I needed didactic training, but what most appealed to me about the award was the emphasis on mentorship for growth and development,” said 2020 award recipient Sara Kellahan, MSN, APRN, AGPCNP-C, in an article for The Rheumatologist. “My exposure to rheumatology thus far had demonstrated the vast complexities that affect patients with rheumatic illness. I knew that understanding the complexity of rheumatology diagnoses is an essential aspect to their care, but considering the ways in which a person’s culture, socioeconomic status, past traumas and mental health affect their physical symptoms is crucial.”
These awards have led to better patient care through expanded knowledge of rheumatology and musculoskeletal diseases, increased patient panels, decreased patient wait times and reduced delay of care for the practice.
For more information about this award, visit our training opportunities page.
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