The first students for A.T. Still University’s future physician-assistants program in Santa Maria will represent the start of what could lead to even more medical training programs on the Central Coast.
Approximately 60 people attended an event Wednesday formally announcing the expansion to Santa Maria for the nonprofit, private medical university with campuses in Missouri and Arizona.
The announcement culminated months of courting by city leaders, economic development representatives and others eager to attract the program.
By July 1, 2020, up to 100 medical students will start training to become physician assistants at the new Santa Maria campus, ATSU officials said.
The medical training program will fill most of the second level of the new 90,000-square-foot, three-story CoastHills Credit Union headquarters building near Betteravia Road and Highway 101.
ATSU representatives looked throughout the state for the new location over a couple of years before selecting Santa Maria.
“We are happy that we found this home,” said Dr. Craig Phelps, ATSU president. “It is really about the community.”
While ATSU could be successful in other communities, it sought somewhere the school could make a difference, Phelps said.
The accredited university started in Missouri 127 years ago with a focus on osteopathic medicine, and expanded to Arizona approximately 20 years ago with multiple health programs.
The university focuses on looking for ways to improve public health and the students.
“When universities come to town, they’re really there to stay. They are a part of the community,” Phelps said. “It is an investment on everybody’s part.”
The first students, those with bachelor’s degrees, will begin classes in July 2020 for the approximately two-year program en route to becoming a physician assistants.
In the coming months, the state-of-the-art equipment will be installed in ATSU’s California home.
“It will be something that hasn’t been seen anywhere in health-care education,” Phelps said.
Ronald Castle, chief executive officer for Community Health Centers of the Central Coast, served as the matchmaker, of sorts, for ATSU and Santa Maria, according to Glenn Morris, CEO and president of the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce .
Castle said that when he heard ATSU representatives were looking at other California locations, he suggested the Central Coast.
“I believe that we’ll look back on this and realize this is metaphorically the planting of a seed that will grow over time into a true medical campus…” Castle said.
Castle also spoke about the second phase, envisioning a bigger campus with a Community Health Centers clinic co-located at the same site.
CHC is the safety net proving health care to medically underserved residents at several locations on northern Santa Barbara County and San Luis Obispo County.
ATSU has had students train in Santa Maria with CHC along with alumni who work locally.
Ted Wendel, ATSU’s senior vice president of university planning and strategic initiatives, said he gets asked why they chose Santa Maria.
“The first reason really is the partnerships,” he said, noting CHC’s presence.
“It provides a set of role models for the students who will train here that’s unparalleled,” Wendel said about CHC.
He also spelled out plans for the first phase of the medical training while hinting about other phases and eventually outgrowing its space in the CoastHills facility.
“In the next seven to 10 years, I think there’s going to be something here in this community that you’ll be very proud of,” Wendel said.
While Santa Maria is home to Allan Hancock College, community leaders have sought to add higher-education opportunities despite sitting between Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo and UCSB in Santa Barbara.
“This is really a great opportunity for Santa Maria,” Mayor Alice Patino said, noting efforts to expand educational opportunities.
“You’re going to find the people of Santa Maria are just the greatest people in the world,” Patino said. “When people ask me what’s the greatest asset we have here, it’s the people.”
With finishing touches still being added to the building, CoastHills expects to move into the Santa Maria site by September. Headquarters staff will be located on the third level, with a bank branch on the first floor.
“Ourselves and A.T. Still University really are going to be sharing a whole lot more than simply a building,” said Paul Cook, CoastHills president/CEO. “We share a vision, and that vision is about taking care of the underserved in the community and providing opportunities for people to grow to make their lives better, and to really make a difference so they have direction. We want to be a part of that.”
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.