Health Sciences, UK St. Claire partner to build rural health care workforce with CPE award
LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 22, 2025) – The University of Kentucky Physician Assistant Studies (PA) department is proud to announce its continued partnership with UK St. Claire in a groundbreaking initiative to address Kentucky’s rural health care workforce shortage. The collaboration has been strengthened by the recent awarding of the Healthcare Workforce Investment Fund (HWIF) Partnership Proposal from the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE).
Thanks to a $160,000 award from the CPE, with a matching $160,000 from UK St. Claire, five PA students will receive full tuition coverage for two years in exchange for a commitment to work at UK St. Claire for two years upon graduation. This funding will help bolster Kentucky’s rural health care workforce, which is facing significant challenges due to a shortage of health care providers in many rural communities.
“We are excited to continue our partnership with the University of Kentucky and support this initiative to train highly qualified physician assistants who are committed to serving rural communities,” said Donald H. Lloyd II, president and CEO of UK St. Claire. “This partnership represents our shared vision to enhance health care in Kentucky and make a lasting impact on the lives of the people we serve.”
The UK PA program, which is nationally ranked in the top 10% of PA programs in the United States, boasts an acceptance rate of just 8%, making it one of the most competitive programs in the country. Of the 56 students accepted over the last seven cohorts, 85% are from Kentucky, and 49% of the students trained at the rural Morehead campus are currently serving in rural areas. The Healthcare Workforce Investment Fund will play a crucial role in keeping Kentucky-trained PAs in the state, where they are needed most.
A critical solution for Kentucky’s health care needs
Kentucky faces a severe shortage of physicians, with approximately 75% of the state’s physicians practicing in urban areas. As the demand for health care providers grows, particularly in rural areas, physician assistants have become an essential part of the solution to the rural physician shortage. The UK PA program’s emphasis on training students for rural health care settings aligns perfectly with the mission of the Healthcare Workforce Investment Fund.
“The UK Physician Assistant Studies Program is proud to strengthen our longstanding partnership with UK St. Claire through the recent Healthcare Workforce Investment Fund award from the Council on Postsecondary Education,” said Kevin Schuer, Dr.P.H., PA program director. “We’re especially grateful to Mr. Lloyd, whose leadership and ongoing support have made this opportunity possible. This award allows us to continue our shared mission of training rural PA students in rural settings to become rural providers. We are steadfastly committed to keeping Kentucky-trained PAs working in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. This funding directly supports these efforts. This partnership is a powerful example of how collaboration and leadership can help build a stronger, more equitable health care system across our state.”
Selection criteria and program impact
The new funding will allow eligible students in the UK PA program to apply for the opportunity, with selection criteria that prioritize financial need, past or current rural work or residency and a demonstrated desire to work in Kentucky’s rural and underserved communities. This funding supports Kentucky’s broader goal of addressing health care workforce gaps and improving health care access.
“Mr. Lloyd has been an amazing partner for our program for years and this is just another opportunity for us to work together to train rural students in a rural setting to become rural providers,” said Virginia Valentin, Dr.P.H., chair for the Department of Physician Assistant Studies. “We are so honored to have received this CPE award.”
Strengthening Kentucky’s future
“This is an exciting development for the UK Physician Assistant Studies Program, and for health care in Kentucky,” said Scott Lephart, Ph.D., dean of the College of Health Sciences. “By training and supporting students who are dedicated to working in underserved regions of our state, we are helping to ensure a healthier future for all Kentuckians. Partnerships like this one with St. Claire play a key role in meeting the health care needs of our communities, and we are grateful to the CPE for their continued support.”
About the Healthcare Workforce Investment Fund
The Kentucky Healthcare Workforce Investment Fund was established during the 2023 legislative session to address health care workforce shortages in Kentucky. The fund provides scholarships and other incentives to Kentucky resident students pursuing health care careers in areas with critical workforce needs. The program prioritizes funding for geographic regions of Kentucky facing the greatest workforce shortages.
This year, CPE awarded $2.8 million in funding for qualifying programs.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.