Information on Anchorage

An English explorer, Captain James Cook, is said to have been the first to explore the South-central area of Alaska. Although this area had been know by various names, in 1915 the US Post Office Department formalized the use of the name of Anchorage. From 1940 to 1950, military construction doubled the population of the city and provided a boost to local economy. In 1964, five years after Alaska attained statehood, Anchorage experienced on of the worst natural disasters in history. The Good Friday Earthquake measure 8.6 on the Richter scale, the largest ever recorded in North America. In the eighties, thanks to a flood of North Slope oil reveue into the state treasury, nearly a billion dollars worth of capitol projects were constructed in Anchorage. Projects included a new library, civic center, sports arena and performing arts center. A number of parks were added to the already large number of parks established in the area brining to total to over 180.

Anchorage is a unique urban environment nested in heart of the wilderness. Along with the parks system, Anchorage has established over 250 miles of maintained trails and three fully operational ski resorts. Tourism and recreation activities has become one of the mainstays of the Anchorage economy.

From downtown Anchorage residents can see Mt. McKinley, the highest point in North America. Six major mountain ranges boarder Anchorage including the Tordrillo Mountains featuring Mt. Spurr and the famous Aleutian Range.

Anchorage Chamber of Commerce

City of Anchorage

MEDEX/University of Alaska Anchorage

MEDEX Northwest has a long history of training Alaska residents as physician assistants. In 2001 MEDEX and the University of Alaska Anchorage entered into a formal agreement to offer a collaborative PA Program. Alaska students selected for this program will attend didactic instruction (year one) in Anchorage. Students may stay in Alaska for their clinical year (six 4-week clinical rotations or a 4 1/2 - month family practice preceptorship). Students attending the MEDEX program in Anchorage who are not residents of Alaska, may also have the opportunity to travel to any one of the WWAMI states during their clinical year. Students will be co-registered at UW and UAA in both their didactic and clinical yeasr and supervised by MEDEX Alaska faculty.

The University of Alaska Anchorage has a BS degree in Health Sciences available for Alaska students who are co-registered in the MEDEX program. MEDEX students in the UAA bachelor’s option will be required to take one additional course (HS 490 – Health Care) as well as any additional courses necessary to satisfy the general education requirements for UAA. The Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences degree advisor is John Riley, PA-C, MEDEX Alaska Faculty.

MEDEX/UAA students will receive a MEDEX certificate and if eligible, a BS degree from the University of Alaska.

For further information view the UAA BSHS website at http://health.uaa.alaska.edu/bshs/admissions.htm.
Interested students should contact John Riley PA-C, MEDEX Northwest/UAA Physician Assistant Program Coordinator. afjor@uaa.alaska.edu. Phone: 907-786-6570