Mercy College Physician Assistant Student Wins Prestigious National Health Service Corps Scholarship
Brianna O’Donaghue, M.S. ’22 was awarded a prestigious National Health Service Corps Scholarship for the 2021-22 academic year. The scholarship covers tuition, room and board, and includes a stipend for groceries. “It’s a huge relief to have everything covered this year,” said O’Donaghue, who is enrolled in the Mercy College Physician Assistant Studies Program.
The National Health Service Corps Scholarship Program awards scholarships to students pursuing training in primary care health professions. In return, recipients commit to working in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA), which can be specific geographic areas such as Harlem, specific facilities such as the Metropolitan Correctional Center or specific patient populations such as those eligible for Medicaid. Since she received scholarship funding for one year, O’Donaghue will work in an HPSA for two years after graduation.
Mercy’s Physician Assistant Studies Program has prepared O’Donaghue to succeed in her career. The program involves instruction in state-of-the-art simulation labs, hands-on experience in several clinical rotations, and opportunities to conduct community outreach and participate in international mission trips.
"Our curriculum and faculty are very strong,” said Dr. Brian Baker, associate director of the Physician Assistant Studies Program. “Our Bronx Campus provides a great opportunity for students to complete their clinical rotations in different neighborhoods in the Bronx, so they're exposed to a wide variety of very diverse patients. This is excellent preparation for working in Healthcare Professional Shortage Areas."
O’Donaghue agrees: “I have been fortunate to learn from highly qualified professors and all of my rotations have been in underserved areas. It’s been really nice to get more familiar with the communities I may work in as part of my scholarship service.”
In describing her experiences in the Physician Assistant Studies Program, O’Donaghue is appreciate of learning anatomy from surgeon and Assistant Professor Dr. David Jackowe. She also mentioned the benefits of learning how to care for domestic violence victims from Assistant Professor Lorraine Cashin. In fact O’Donaghue drew on the knowledge gained from Cashin’s training several times while in her clinical rotation in the Emergency Department at Lincoln Hospital.
O’Donaghue is still deciding on her path after graduation. Currently, she is considering exploring pediatrics or obstetrics and gynecology before returning to emergency medicine in a few years.
She urged her fellow Mercy College students studying to be physician assistants or nurses to apply for the National Health Service Corps Scholarship Program as well. To learn more about how to apply to the program, please click here.