Idaho State University Division of Health Sciences has large economic, health care impact on Idaho

More than $36 million dollars in research grants and funding in the past five years and $12.6 million annually in free medical services are among the highlights of a new Idaho State University Division of Health Science Economic Impact Study.

The summary highlights the contribution that ISU students and graduates of the health programs have on the economic health of Idaho.

"We have always known that our alumni make contributions to the state of Idaho when they graduate and practice their profession here," said Linda Hatzenbuehler, associate vice president and executive dean of the ISU Division of Health Sciences. "I am pleased to have documentation that our students also have a positive economic impact on Idaho, while they are obtaining their professional degrees."

Highlights of the report include:

• The Division of Health Sciences has received more than  $36 million in research grants and funding in the past five years.

• In a typical year, students perform a total of about 23,587 clinical hours of service out of which about 20,157 hours are unpaid. These unpaid services result in an economic impact of about $12.6 million annually.

• ISU is the only school in Idaho with the following programs of study: family nurse practitioner, pharmacy and physician assistant.

• 108 of the current 631 licensed nurse practitioners in the state of Idaho were educated at ISU.

• Roughly one out of every two licensed pharmacists practicing in Idaho were educated at ISU.

• As of 2011, there are 447 graduates of the ISU physician assistant program.

•  In fiscal year 2011, the Division of Health Sciences received about 14.9 percent, $12.3 million, of the state appropriations distributed to ISU.

• 223 of the current 619 licensed physician assistants in the state of Idaho were educated at ISU; that represents roughly two out of every five.

This benchmark study, which details many other aspects of the ISU Division of Health Sciences’ economic impact, was produced by Bengal Solutions Center for Business Services, a resource unit of the ISU College of Business. Bengal Solutions offers consulting services to local businesses.

Copies of the report can be downloaded at the Division of Health Sciences website, http://www.isu.edu/healthsciences/. A link to a synopsis of the report is located on the main page of this website and the full report is available by clicking the link "About Health Sciences" on the main page and then clicking the link for the full report at the bottom of the "About Health Sciences" page.

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