Intermountain Healthcare Donates Vital Funding to Weber State University to Build Training Programs to Help Combat Shortage of Healthcare Workers

Intermountain Healthcare is providing vital funding to Weber State University to help the Ogden university increase the number of students accepted into its programs and build the foundation for future programs.

The funding of more than $1 million will help support Weber State’s new physician assistant program, the Diversity in Healthcare scholarship program, and the Office of Community Development Ogden Civic Action Network, better known as OgdenCAN.

Weber State will launch its physician assistant program next year, pending receiving approval from 2022 Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant meeting, to be held later this month.

This program will train 20 future physician assistants per session. The first cohort of students will begin their studies when the program begins in January 2023.

“Weber State University has been a stalwart for education, improving the community and helping to provide the next generation of healthcare providers. “We are proud to assist them in their work,” said Judy Williamson, RN, administrator of Intermountain McKay-Dee Hospital.

The physician assistant program will add its second cohort of students in 2024 with an annual enrollment of 40 students.

Intermountain’s contribution will help build the program, which will be located in Weber State’s Ezekiel R. Dumke Jr. & Katherine W. Dumke Center for Interprofessional Education in Healthcare building.

Weber State University and Intermountain McKay-Dee Hospital have a long tradition of training the next generation of healthcare providers, including the hospital’s recent donation of ultrasound, cardiac sonography, and EKG equipment to the university.

In addition, Intermountain has funded Diversity in Healthcare scholarships at Weber State.

“Weber State truly benefits from having such a strong partnership with Intermountain McKay-Dee Hospital,” said Yasmen Simonian, dean of the Dr. Ezekiel R. Dumke College of Health Professions at WSU. “They’ve helped us secure the best equipment and space, which allows us to provide hands-on education to our students so they’re confident and ready to join the healthcare workforce when they graduate.”

Simonian said that in addition to funding and support, Intermountain McKay-Dee Hospital has also provided expert representatives to serve on advisory boards in each area of the college to assist with future healthcare needs.

Intermountain continues their commitment to support OgdenCAN’s work to advance community development work in Ogden’s East-Central neighborhood.

“Living our healthiest lives possible requires more than access to high-quality healthcare. We’ve found that supporting early childhood health through professional training education can have a very positive impact in community health,” said Sue Robel, RN, chief nursing officer and regional president at Intermountain. “We are thrilled to play a part in improving the health of our communities by supporting today’s students – and tomorrow’s healthcare professionals.”

These contributions are part of an effort by Intermountain to improve community health by addressing the social determinants of health — the non-medical factors that play a role in the overall health of a community, including reliable transportation, food security, housing and education, among others.

Intermountain has additionally made contributions in 2022 aimed at improving mental well-being and preventing domestic violence. Donations in the Ogden area include donations to the Lantern House to address behavioral health and provide support to homeless individuals experiencing COVID and to Ogden’s YCC Family Crisis Center through funding to the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition to support shelters across the state.

To learn more about the Intermountain Diversity in Healthcare scholarship at Weber State University, go to WSU’s Scholarship website at https://www.weber.edu/financialaid/.

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