Thomas Jefferson University Cuts Ribbon on New Home for Physician Assistant Program in New Jersey

Jesse Coale, Director, Physician Assistant Program; Dana Cafaro, Associate Program Director, Voorhees Campus; and Michael Dryer, Dean, College of Health Professions

On Friday, September 20, 2019 Thomas Jefferson University officially marked the opening of the College of Health Professions Physician Assistant Program in Voorhees, NJ.  

“Moving the New Jersey Physician Assistant program to Voorhees allows us to offer our students a convenient location for their studies,” says Dr. Michael Dryer, Dean of the Jefferson College of Health Professions. “Everything they need is under one roof, with neighboring Jefferson Health New Jersey facilities as the backdrop.”

Physician Assistant has been named one of the fastest growing professions in the U.S. by the Bureau of Labor & Statistics, with an expected 38.4 percent increase in jobs by 2020. With this in mind, the brand new, state-of-the- art campus is the perfect setting for our students to learn, and features:

  • 60-seat classroom
  • A physical diagnosis laboratory
  • Anatomy Lab equipped with 12 cadaver tables, individual computers at each station and Apple TV for online learning and research
  • A Simulation Center which includes:
  • Auscultation Simulators
  • iStan Adult Patient Simulator
  • Primary Care Rooms
  • Emergency Room Bays
  • Inpatient Hospital Rooms

“Having students train and learn in New Jersey increases the likelihood that they will stay and practice in New Jersey,” says Jesse Coale, director of Jefferson’s Physician Assistant Program. “There is a shortage of physicians in the United States in general, and Physician Assistants will help fill this gap.”

Attendees will have the opportunity to tour the space, and speak with faculty and students to learn about the program.

“Educational excellence for our students is our number one goal,” says Jefferson Provost Dr. Mark Tykocinski. “This new location offers cutting edge technology and a beautiful space for our faculty to cultivate the next generation of healthcare providers.”