Chairman Named for WesternU Degree Program

Michael Burney, MS, PA-C, has been appointed chairman of the Master of

Science in Health Professions Education program at Western University of

Health Sciences (WesternU), a program he graduated from in 1995.

Since 1998 he has worked as director of operations of the WesternU

Regional Center at Chico. He will continue in that role through June,

splitting his time between WesternU’s Chico and Pomona campuses.

Subsequently, he will assume the new position full time on the Pomona

campus.

“”I think the Health Professions Education program at WesternU is one of

education’s best kept secrets, and one of my goals is to get the word out

to our alumni and the local medical community that this program can

improve their teaching and patient education skills in the everyday

medical workplace,”” said Burney. “”I learned a tremendous amount from the

program; it helped me fine-tune my skills so that I could be an effective

instructor in the health care arena and also has improved the way I work

with patients as a physician assistant.””

Since earning the degree, Burney has served as a lecturer for physician

assistant programs at USC and Cal State Chico and was appointed assistant

professor of physician assistant education at WesternU.

“”Having the degree has been a real asset to my career, and so one of my

goals as program chairman is to let other health care professionals know

how it can help them, too,”” said Burney. “”I’m also hoping to develop

Internet-based courses for the program which might be more convenient for

those working in the field.””

He completed the physician assistant program at WesternU in 1992 and

earned a bachelor’s degree in exercise science from USC in 1984. He is

currently enrolled in the doctoral program in educational leadership at

the University of La Verne, and holds membership with the American Academy

of Physician Assistants, the California Academy of Physician Assistants

and the Association of Physician Assistant Programs. Burney also has been

a board member of the American Red Cross since 1997.