HELENA, MT – Carroll College has been awarded a $1,695,679 grant from the E. L. Wiegand Foundation to support the development of its Physician Assistant (PA) Program. The nearly $1.7 million investment will provide state-of-the-art laboratory simulation technology, medical equipment, and facility furnishings to prepare future healthcare professionals to serve Montana and the surrounding region, particularly in rural and medically underserved communities.
The grant represents a significant milestone for Carroll's developing PA Program, which is on schedule to enroll its first cohort of 34 students in May 2028, pending accreditation. The program will build on Carroll's longstanding strengths in healthcare education and expand opportunities for students while addressing the region's growing demand for physician assistants.
"We are deeply grateful to the E. L. Wiegand Foundation for this extraordinary investment in Carroll College and the future of healthcare in Montana," said Carroll College President Jennifer Glowienka, Ph.D. "This generous support will allow us to provide our students with exceptional training facilities and cutting-edge technology while preparing highly skilled healthcare professionals who can make a meaningful difference in communities across our state. The Foundation has been a longstanding partner in supporting science and healthcare education at Carroll, and we are honored to build upon that relationship."
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Montana continues to experience a critical shortage of healthcare professionals, particularly in its rural communities. Fifty-one of the state's 56 counties have been designated as Health Professional Shortage Areas, which highlights the challenges many Montana communities face in accessing timely, quality healthcare. A Montana Hospital Association workforce study identified mid-level providers, including physician assistants, among the top three most needed healthcare positions in the state. Despite this demand, opportunities to pursue PA education remain limited in the region, with just two existing programs in Montana, one in Idaho, and none in Wyoming.
Carroll's full-time, 27-month Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MSPAS) program will combine 14 months of classroom and laboratory instruction with 13 months of supervised clinical training. The inaugural cohort of 34 students is expected to begin in May 2028 and graduate in August 2030. With three overlapping cohorts, the program is designed to accommodate up to 102 students and eventually graduate 34 new physician assistants annually to help meet the healthcare workforce needs across Montana and the surrounding region.
A major component of the E. L. Wiegand Foundation grant will be the purchase of advanced simulation equipment that allows students to develop clinical skills and gain hands-on experience before entering patient care settings. Among the program's signature training resources will be six Anatomage tables, sophisticated digital anatomy systems that allow students to explore highly detailed, three-dimensional representations of the human body. Using digitized human cadaver models, the tables provide interactive opportunities to study anatomy, physiology, and pathology. The Foundation's grant will fund four of the Anatomage tables, while a generous gift from private donors John and Meredith Sullivan will support the purchase of another two tables.
Another distinctive feature of Carroll's PA Program will be the integration of handheld, point-of-care ultrasound technology into its curriculum. Through the Foundation's support, each student will receive a portable ultrasound device for use in simulation and supervised clinical experiences. These devices allow healthcare providers to perform diagnostic imaging at the point of care, a particularly valuable capability in rural settings where access to advanced imaging equipment and specialty services may be limited. With only approximately 29% of PA programs currently incorporating this technology into their curriculum, Carroll's integration of this equipment will provide students with a valuable advantage in their clinical education and preparation for practice.
"Access to this level of technology will be an important part of preparing our students for the realities of modern healthcare," said Richard Bennett, Ph.D., PA-C, director of Carroll's Physician Assistant Program. "By incorporating advanced anatomy simulation and point-of-care ultrasound into their education, we can help students develop the knowledge, clinical judgment, and practical skills they will need to care for patients, especially in rural and underserved communities."
Carroll's PA Program will be housed in two campus buildings, St. Charles Hall and Simperman Hall. St. Charles Hall will have the program's clinical skills simulation and anatomy and physiology laboratories, while Simperman Hall will accommodate classrooms, clinical examination rooms, and a student lounge. The grant will also support the purchase of medical equipment, classroom furnishings, and other essential supplies, along with facility improvements necessary to prepare the spaces for students.
The program's location in Simperman Hall builds upon the Foundation's longstanding support of science and healthcare education at Carroll. The building is already home to several facilities made possible through the Foundation's generosity, including the E. L. Wiegand Nursing Simulation Center, E. L. Wiegand Integrated Research & Learning Lab, Wiegand Amphitheater, and E. L. Wiegand Undergraduate Research Center.
The E. L. Wiegand Foundation's investment builds upon more than $3.6 million in previous support Carroll has received from private donors, philanthropic organizations, and the State of Montana to establish the PA Program. Major contributors include the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, the Fortin Foundation, and the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services. Together, these investments have helped support curriculum development, faculty recruitment, clinical partnerships, and facility preparations.
Carroll's PA Program continues to progress toward accreditation through the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). The college anticipates submitting its application for Provisional Accreditation in March 2027, with a site visit expected in June 2027 and an accreditation decision anticipated in fall 2027. Applications for the inaugural cohort are expected to open in April 2027, with classes beginning in May 2028, pending accreditation approval.
"This investment is about much more than equipment and facilities," said President Glowienka. "It is about expanding educational opportunities, strengthening Montana's healthcare workforce, and helping ensure that individuals and families, regardless of where they live, have access to quality healthcare. We are grateful to the E. L. Wiegand Foundation and all of the partners who are helping make this vision a reality."
For more information about Carroll College's developing Physician Assistant Program, visit carroll.edu/pa.
