Clarkson Hall will gain program, lose one

POTSDAM — A Clarkson University program is moving into Clarkson Hall at the same time that Canton-Potsdam Hospital will be leaving it.

The university is starting a master of physician assistant program, to be housed in the old building on Main Street, and the hospital is moving its physical rehabilitation program to the Lawrence Avenue medical campus.

The moves are independent of each other.

"I think it's kind of happening simultaneously," Clarkson University spokesman Michael P. Griffin said. "It just worked out that they got the old St. Mary's school and that would leave space to put the P.A. program there."

Michael B. Whitehead was hired recently to be the director of the physician-assistant program, and the Adams native will move from North Carolina to start at Clarkson in July.

The 27-month program will accept fewer than 30 students to start. Students won't be admitted until January 2012.

"Literally the day after Mike was appointed, we got in touch with the accrediting body. That was a couple of months ago now," said Peter R. Turner, dean of arts and sciences. "The first date they could make that visit was April of next year, which meant the accreditation board can't meet and decide on it until September of next year, which means the earliest we could have students was in January 2012."

The hospital "will take however long they need," Mr. Griffin said. "They have a rather long process to go through, as well. There's no rush for the hospital to leave."

The hospital has to start renovations and construction on a gutted portion of the former school before the rehabilitation program can leave Clarkson Hall.

Plans are nearing completion and must be approved by the state Department of Health, but the work should be finished in time for the program to move at the end of the fall, according to Rebecca J. Sutcliffe, hospital spokeswoman. No cost estimate was available.

The move should make access to services more convenient for patients.

"Patients will be able to go directly from consultation with an orthopedic specialist to schedule physical rehabilitative services," Michele Leroux, director of the physical rehabilitation department, said in a statement.

Students from Clarkson's physician-assistant program likely will do their clinical work at Canton-Potsdam, according to a statement from David B. Acker, president and chief executive officer of the hospital.

Nor will Clarkson's latest health-services program be the last; the university already is considering starting more programs in a few years, possibly prosthetics or pharmaceuticals, Mr. Turner said.

"If we can help both ourselves and the community by improving the supply of medical practitioners and health providers, that's a good thing for the north country," he said.