Dozens gathered on Sunday as leaders from Mount St. Mary's University cut a ribbon to celebrate the opening of the new Timothy E. Trainor School of Health Professions
The school, on the grounds of the National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, is part of the university's effort to address health care inequity and clinician burnout.
Named after the university's President Emeritus Timothy E. Trainor, the school has been in the making for several years, with plans first initiatied in 2018 by the Board of Trustees' Chair Richard Miller and others.
Miller, who worked as a leader in health care systems, said health is vital for the community to flourish and for people to pursue their goals.
Trainor said he felt honored to be recognized for his part in the school's creation.
"I have also been humbled, truly humbled to help bring to life this school, which will educate future ethical leaders for health care in fields needed by society, such as physician assistants, while also providing behavioral health services to the wonderful people of Emmitsburg and surrounding communities," Trainor said.
The new school building includes a high-tech simulation lab, lecture hall and a replica of a patient exam room.
It will offer a space for the existing applied behavior analysis master of science program and the launching physician assistant program. The first class of physician assistants will start in January.
The physician assistant program expands the school's mission by addressing community workforce needs and delivering high-quality care, according to the new school's dean, Christine McCauslin.
The program's director, Mary Jackson, is a university alumna and a physician assistant who works in emergency medicine. The university approached her with this initiative to expand its mission of "cultivating ethical leaders," she said.
"Our team has poured every ounce of passion and experience into creating an intentionally designed health care education program," Jackson said. "We are all practicing clinicians from different specialties, bringing the very best of medicine into the classroom, lending timely relevance to the education we deliver."
Jackson said school officials hope to graduate clinicians who lead their work with empathy and compassion.
The school also includes a center for clinician well-being, to prepare students to counter burnout and lead long, successful careers, the dean said.
The building includes the new facility for the university's Blue Peak ABA Center, which specializes in behavioral programming for children in surrounding communities.
"The school's mission to care significantly defines our commitment to educate healthcare leaders with a heart for service, and is squarely rooted in our Catholic values and the needs of our community," said McCauslin.
University leaders said the new school is a result of dedication by the university's staff, generous donors and collaborative partnerships, including the Daughters of Charity.
"This new school encompasses broad collaborations with our region's health systems and wise counsel from the school's board of advisers," said Patricia Hill-Callahan, vice president for advancement. "Together, with the new school's students and faculty, staff and alumni, all of you are changing lives for the better."
University President Gerard Joyce said the school not only meets students' professional goals but also unmet health care needs in the community.
"We envision more new academic programs and even more robust clinical partnerships," Joyce said. "We fully intend to address the needs of our students, our community and our shared healthier future."