PAEA MAT Initiative Team Spreads the Word Out West
The Consortium, which offers a platform for PA educators to present on the leading topics in their field, also serves as an excellent opportunity for representatives from neighboring PA programs to network with one another while earning CME credits.
This year, the meeting at the end of February was hosted by Midwestern University in Glendale, Arizona, with the theme “Supporting Success in PA Education.” In accordance with this theme, attendees from 19 PA programs participated in sessions conducted by their colleagues that addressed subjects ranging from preparing students for the clinical experience to whether prerequisites are useful in differentiating applicants.
Recognizing an opportunity to spark discussion on student MAT training, MAT Project Director John Lopes and I attended the conference to talk about the progress of PAEA’s MAT Waiver Training Initiative and to answer questions on how programs can implement the waiver training as part of their curriculum. The presentation began with a brief history and overview of the MAT Initiative, followed by an outline of the resources available to programs that are interested in MAT waiver training for their students and faculty. The session concluded with time for an audience Q&A session.
We would like to thank the organizers of the Western Consortium for inviting us to share our exciting work on the MAT Initiative.
If your program has not yet considered requiring students to become waiver-eligible prior to graduation, please visit the MAT Initiative Resources and FAQ webpages and/or contact MAT Initiative Project Director John Lopes at jlopes@PAEAonline.org to learn more.
Disclaimer: Funding for this initiative was made possible (in part) by grant no. 6H79TI080816 from SAMHSA. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
