Portland, Ore.

Eight Oregon Health & Science University physician assistant students have just begun a new set of five-week rotations and 10-week preceptorships throughout Oregon. The rotations and the preceptorships began March 24.

Ryan Cate, rotation in women's health, will be with Charles Hochberg, M.D., North Bend Medical Clinic, Second St., Gold Beach, 541 247-7047 or 541 469-5377.

Jennifer Dalal, rotation in pediatrics, will be with Linell Wood, PA-C, clinical assistant professor in the OHSU School of Medicine, Coastal Pediatric Associates, Newport, 541 265-5362.

Christine Hall, preceptorship in family medicine, with Scott Johnson, M.D., Oregon Medical Group, 2460 Willamette St., Eugene, 541 687-1668. The topic of Hall's community project will be preventing the effects of poor diet and intense athletic training on female cross-country runners.

Lori Oliphant, preceptorship in family medicine, with Kate Yturri, M.A, PA-C, clinical associate professor in the OHSU School of Medicine, Family Physicians Group Inc., P.S., S.E. McGillivray Blvd., Vancouver, Wash., 360 514-4800. Oliphant's community project topic will be to educate high school females about HPV and its link to cervical cancer by covering the risk factors and prevention strategies for this particular age group and discussing how HPV is managed and monitored to prevent progression to cervical cancer.

Kendall Owen, 10-week preceptorship in internal medicine, with M. Louis Blettel, M.D., Advantage Medical Group LLP #102, 9735 S.W. Shady Lane, Portland, 503 968-1515. Owen's project topic will be to develop an efficient and effective foot care screening method for diabetics.

Corey Richardson, rotation in dermatology, William Delgado, M.D., Bend Dermatology Clinic, 2747 N.E. Conners Ave., Bend, 541 382-5712.

Larissa Whalen, rotation in surgery, with Michael Hauty, M.D., and John Garcia, M.D., Providence Hood River Surgical Clinic, 1151 May St., Hood River, 541 386-6266 or 541 387-6125.

Jonathan Wong, rotation in orthopaedics, with Richard Tobin, M.D., Orthopedic Associates, 1280 Center St. N.E., Salem, 503 581-4402.

The OHSU School of Medicine, Division of Physician Assistant Education was established in 1995 with the mission of preparing physician assistants to provide primary care services to rural and urban medically underserved communities. The program is a full-time, 26-month course of study culminating in a master of physician assistant studies degree. Current enrollment is 49 students. Besides on-campus education, students spend 14 months during the program on five-week rotations in clinical sites throughout Oregon. The students are trained in primary care, women's health, pediatrics, emergency medicine, general surgery, inpatient medicine and orthopaedics. The capstone clinical experience is a 10-week primary care preceptorship, in which students complete a health promotion/disease prevention project designed to meet an identified health care need in the community.