Portland, Ore.

Eight Oregon Health & Science University physician assistant students have recently begun their five-week rotations and their 10-week preceptorships throughout Oregon. The rotations and the preceptorships began May 5.

• Ryan Cate, 10-week community medicine preceptorship with Mark Williams, M.D., Samaritan Family Medicine, 3517 N.W. Samaritan Drive, Corvallis, 541 768-5142. Cate's project topic will be to educate and assess osteoporosis risk factors in men, providing them with information about osteoporosis and education as to methods of preventing the disease with diet and exercise.

• Thea Engel, 10-week community medicine preceptorship with Bob Davis, P.A.-C., Valley Family Health Care, 789 Washington St. W., Vale, 541 473-2101. Engel's project topic will be to educate parents with children in the home about firearm safety.

• Stephanie Granvall, 10-week community medicine preceptorship with Stephen Knapp, M.D., Wall Street Family Practice, 726 N.W. Wall Street, Bend, 541 382-4721. Granvall's community project topic will be to educate children and their parents on the risks of sustaining a head injury while snowboarding.

• Danacia Jones, rotation in pediatrics with William Keonig, M.D., Physician's Medical Center, 2695 Tanger Drive, McMinnville, 503 472-6161.

• Michael Krueger, rotation in surgery with Robert Read, M.D., Ph.D., Willamette Surgical Associates, PC, 3517 N.W. Samaritan Drive, Suite 100, Corvallis, 541 758-6865.

• Alise Osis, rotation in dermatology with Michael Goodenberger, M.D., The Dermatology Clinic, P.C., 2441 Grear, Salem, 503 364-3321.

• Corey Richardson, rotation in pediatrics with James Lace, M.D., Childhood Health Associates, 2395 Center St., N.E., Salem, 503 364-2181 or 503 364-2178.

• Kathleen Rocco, rotation in women's health with Charles Hochberg, M.D., North Bend Medical Clinic, 94180 Second St., Gold Beach, 541 247-7047 or 541 469-5377.

• Jared Smith, 10-week community medicine preceptorship with Evelyn Phillips, M.D., clinical assistant professor in the OHSU School of Medicine, Providence Medford Medical Center, 25 Erickson Ave., Shady Cove, 541 878-3730. Smith's project topic will be to prepare the citizens of Shady Cove at risk for coronary heart disease and their families, to recognize the early warning signs of a heart attack and to take quick action if a heart attack occurs. He also arranged for the donation of an automated external defibrillator to the Shady Cove police department.

• Scott Smith, rotation in orthopaedics with Eric Sandefur D.O., St., Elizabeth Medical Group, 3325 Pocahontas Road, Baker City, 541 523-1798 or 541 523-1704.

• Leslie Tobias, rotation in surgery with Betty Kierstead, M.D., 1401 N. Tenth Ave., Stayton, 503 769-3785.

• Tonya Van Santen, rotation in women's health rotation with Daniel Kort, M.D., M.P.H., The Womancare Center, 2930 N.E. West Devils Lake Road, Lincoln City, 541 994-4440.

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

The OHSU School of Medicine Physician Assistant Program 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. 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. They 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.