LC State, ISU sign MOU to help address Idaho’s health care needs

Lewis-Clark State College and Idaho State University have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to cement and streamline a partnership that will serve the vital health care education needs of north and south Idaho for years to come.

The agreement begins with expressed intent to create a cohort of ISU Physician Assistant graduate students at LC State and will continue with exploration for collaboration in numerous other health professions education areas.

The MOU was announced at a virtual signing event in December, attended by LC State President Cynthia Pemberton and ISU President Kevin Satterlee, administrators from both schools, and media members from throughout the state.

“Lewis-Clark State College has a long history of serving Idaho health care education needs from McCall to the Canadian border, and this partnership strengthens our ability to meet the growing needs of this region,” Pemberton said. “LC State is proud to partner with ISU, recognizing its health education leadership in Idaho. I thank President Satterlee and our teams for their good work in streamlining these exceptional – and greatly needed – health care career pathways.”

“Idaho State University is designated by the state as the statewide leader in health sciences education. This partnership with LCSC is a great way for ISU to carry out that leadership across all parts of the state so that, together, we can educate students in these high demand health care fields,” said Satterlee. “I am quite sure this is just the first of many great health care partnerships between ISU and LCSC.”

According to the Idaho Department of Labor, Physician Assistants are in the top 10 on the Hot Jobs list for north Idaho, and Idaho State University offers the only Physician Assistant Studies program in the state. 

The agreement allows for curricula to be delivered locally and/or with synchronous online delivery, and dedicated placements have been identified throughout northern Idaho for students to complete the required experiential (clinical) rotations. Additional sites that meet accreditation standards will also be developed.

Both ISU and LC State offer a robust portfolio of health professions degree options, awarding 70 percent of the health related degrees in the state among four-year public institutions. 

Steps to launch the first cohort of LC State-ISU Physician Assistant students under this MOU will begin immediately.