December 14, 1995

HEALTH CARE PROVIDER TRAINING SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED

SPRINGFIELD, IL -- Ten Illinois nurse practitioner and physician assistant students have been awarded a total of $75,000 in state-funded scholarships, Dr. John R. Lumpkin, state director of public health, announced today.

"Illinois ranks fourth in the nation for the number of residents lacking access to primary health care services," Dr. Lumpkin said. "In an effort to bolster the number of practicing health care providers in these medically underserved areas, the Allied Health Care Professional Scholarship Program was established in 1993 by the Illinois General Assembly."

The intent of the scholarship program is to increase the number of nurse practitioners, physician assistants and certified nurse midwives practicing in areas of Illinois that have insufficient numbers of primary care providers. Recipients must practice one year for each year scholarship funds were received.

Each of the following students received a $7,500 scholarship for the 1995-96 school year:

• Karen Ammari, Chicago, a nurse practitioner student at St. Xavier University in Chicago;
• Cindy Chaffin, Ipava, a nurse practitioner student at Mennonite College of Nursing in Bloomington;
• Donna Cox-Rodriquez, Chicago, a nurse practitioner student at Rush University in Chicago;
• Judith K. Jones, Chicago, a physician assistant student at Malcolm X College in Chicago;
• Kathleen Kahn, Evanston, a physician assistant student at Malcolm X College in Chicago;
• Cary Ann Martorelli, Northlake, a physician assistant student at Midwestern University in Downers Grove;
• Karen L. Mason, Chicago, a physician assistant student at Malcolm X College in Chicago;
• Joya D. Stewart, Shelbyville, a nurse practitioner student at the University of Illinois at Urbana;
• Kimberly Turner, Herrick, a nurse practitioner student at the University of Illinois at Urbana;
• Sue Valentine, Mount Zion, a nurse practitioner student at Mennonite College of Nursing in Bloomington.

Criteria considered in selecting the scholarship recipients included academic capabilities, financial need, previous experience with medically underserved populations and a commitment to provide health care services to a designated shortage area in Illinois.

The awards can be applied to tuition, fees and living expenses and are repaid by providing direct patient care in designated health care shortage areas in the state.

Illinois Department of Public Health 535 West Jefferson Street Springfield, Illinois 62761 Phone 217-782-4977 Fax 217-782-3987 TTY 800-547-0466 Questions or Comments