Sonia Otte, founding director of Cal State San Bernardino’s Master of Science in Physician Assistant (MSPA) program, has recently been published in the Elsevier text, “Digital Health: Telemedicine and Beyond.”

Otte co-authored a chapter titled “Integrating Digital Medicine in Rural Communities,” aligning with the MSPA program’s mission and vision to address healthcare disparities.

The chapter examines the CDC-documented health disparities in rural communities and highlights digital medicine interventions (DMIs) as key solutions for improving access to services like behavioral health, primary care and women’s health. It concludes with a toolkit and strategies to help healthcare practitioners effectively implement DMIs and overcome barriers such as location, internet access and cost.

“Digital Health: Telemedicine and Beyond” serves as a practical guide for integrating digital health tools into clinical practice. The book offers a comprehensive overview of digital medicine, addressing its ethical and social challenges, patient engagement strategies, and integration into multidisciplinary healthcare. Featuring case studies and patient outcomes, it is a valuable resource for clinicians and educators across health professions.

The MSPA program at CSUSB reflects the principles outlined in this publication by prioritizing innovative solutions to improve healthcare access. Prospective students can learn more about the developing program by visiting the CSUSB MSPA program website.

Accreditation Status of the MSPA Program

CSUSB has applied for Accreditation-Provisional status from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). The university anticipates welcoming its first cohort of students in August 2025, pending approval of Accreditation-Provisional status during the March 2025 ARC-PA meeting.

Accreditation-Provisional is granted to programs that demonstrate plans and resource allocations capable of meeting ARC-PA Standards if fully implemented as proposed. It also applies to programs showing continued progress in compliance with these standards as they prepare for the graduation of their first cohort.