At the presentation of the Canton-Potsdam Hospital Board of Directors Service Award were, from left, CPH Medical Director Robert T. Rogers, II, MD; Ryan J. Mazzone, PA-C; Paul B. McGrath, PhD, CU Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and CPH board member; board member and Clarkson Senior Gift Planning Officer Donald R. Dangremond; Clarkson University Provost Charles E. “Chuck” Thorpe, PhD; CPH board member and CU Director of News and Digital Content Services Michael P. Griffin; CU Dean of Arts and Sciences Peter R. Turner, PhD; President and CEO of Canton-Potsdam Hospital and CEO of St. Lawrence Health System David B. Acker, FACHE; PA-Cs Amber N. Wagg and Tonya J. Seymour; Clarkson Clinical Associate Professor and Chair, Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies Michael B. Whitehead, DHSc, RPA-C, DFAAPA. Not in the photo is Canton-Potsdam Hospital Board of Directors Chair and SUNY Potsdam Provost Margaret E. Madden.

POTSDAM -- Clarkson University’s programs to teach and prepare health professionals were selected as the Canton-Potsdam Hospital Board of Directors Service Award recipients for 2014.

The award is Canton-Potsdam Hospital’s highest distinction, given annually to individuals or organizations that have provided exemplary health-related service to the community.

Clarkson’s health professions programs include pre-health education that prepares students for post-graduate studies and careers as physicians, medical scientists, and public health officials in addition to veterinary, dental, and environmental/occupational health professions.

Its physical therapy program, launched in 1998, expanded subsequently to a program awarding doctor of physical therapy degrees, and saw the $1.6 million redevelopment of Clarkson Hall to accommodate Canton-Potsdam Hospital’s physical rehabilitation department. The location of the department facilitated collaboration between PT faculty and CPH clinicians.

Clarkson’s program to train physician assistants awards master of science degrees. Launched in 2012, it graduated its first class this past May, may of whose members will be working with CPH. CPH’s Helen Snell Cheel Medical Campus in Potsdam, expanded and dedicated in 2013, has a specially designed clinical experience laboratory within its primary care center that allows students to observe, with patient and clinician consent, medical examinations and office-based treatments. As part of their training, students complete clinical rotations at local hospitals.

“The PA program at Clarkson fills a critical role in ensuring the sustainability of healthcare in our region,” said CPH President and CEO David B. Acker, also CEO of St. Lawrence Health System. “These professionals will allow for the expansion of access and services throughout the continuum of care,” he said. “From the emergency room, to the inpatient floors, to outpatient primary and specialty care centers, these graduates greatly assist us in meeting our mission.”

“Clarkson’s robust health professions programs have stepped into the breach created by a nationwide physician shortage that hits close to home,” said Margaret E. “Maggie” Madden, CPH Board Chair. “We are so fortunate to have pre-health, physical therapy, and physician assistant programs that educate the clinicians of tomorrow and assist us to retain our exceptional medical staff,” she said.

“The whole community benefits from the strong partnership we’ve established between Clarkson University and Canton-Potsdam Hospital,” said Clarkson University Provost Charles Thorpe. “In addition to education and research programs that take place across the university and hospital, we help each other with recruitment. Having a strong healthcare system is attractive to our faculty and students, and our programs are attractive to medical professionals,” he said.

In addition to the formal curriculum for pre-professional and professional health education, Clarkson University promotes volunteer community service among its students and faculty. For example, the PA program students have assisted Hospice with its garden clean up and Swim-a-Mile-for-Hospice fundraising; hosted food drives and American Red Cross blood drives; assisted with a local Relay-for-Life event and gift wrapping for the Potsdam Holiday Fund; and completed a medical mission to the Dominican Republic. Clarkson's physical therapy students received the Volunteers of the Year award for their assistance at the Special Olympics New York North Country Region annual Summer Games in May at SUNY Canton. They also collaborated with SUNY Potsdam Crane School of Music faculty and students to offer workshops on injury prevention for musicians.