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360th Recruiting Group initiates partnership with Arcadia University

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  • By Christa D'Andrea
  • Air Force Recruiting Service Public Affairs
GLENSIDE, Pa. --  Arcadia University and the 87th Medical Group, Joint Base McGuire-Dix Lakehurst, N.J., signed an "Educational Affiliation Agreement" November 5 as part of a partnership initiated by the Air Force Recruiting Service's 360th Recruiting Group Health Professions team.

The agreement will offer 8-week clinical rotation training to Arcadia University Physician Assistant students in Family Practice medicine through the Family Health Clinic at McGuire-Dix Lakehurst. This is the first educational agreement for Arcadia University to place medical students on an Air Force base.

Master Sgt. Elizabeth Valentine, 360RCG HP C-Flight Chief, initiated the program with Rachel Ditoro, Arcadia Clinical Director.

"This is a huge recruiter-after-next initiative for AFRS," Valentine said. "These students are the exactly the type of individuals the Air Force needs. We are putting Physician Assistant students in actual Air Force medical facilities to practice their skills and learn first-hand what it means to work on an Air Force Health Professions Team."

Recruiter-after-next is a strategic approach within AFRS that empowers recruiters to establish long-term relationships with educators, influencers and communities in order ensure mission success. Recruiters must become an integral member of their local communities to build lasting relationships and create strong networks for his or her successor.

"Our hope is that this relationship will open many other opportunities for students, not only at Arcadia and McGuire, but for other universities and medical facilities Air Force-wide," added Valentine.

Valentine stated that they have a solid working model that should be encouraged in many other educational institutions. They have also received interest from the Physical Therapy department at Arcadia to incorporate this program into their training curriculum.

To celebrate the new affiliation between the Air Force and Arcadia, University President Carl Oxholm and Valentine, hosted a ceremony and dinner at Arcadia's Grey Towers Castle. Among the many invited guests was Lt. Col. Andrea Gooden, Dover Medical Group Squadron commander, who has now expressed interest in bringing a similar program to her squadron in the very near future.

"Entering into this agreement with McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst is a great honor and a great opportunity for our University," says Arcadia President Carl (Tobey) Oxholm III. "Private higher education is all about teaching our students how they can use their time, talent and treasure to give back, and there is no more deserving a group for us to give back to than those who put their lives on the line for us all in the military service of our country. More than this, they will also experience the opportunity to serve in the United States Air Force, which will open up new career possibilities for them."

Brig. Gen. John P. Horner, AFRS commander, was also on-hand for this historic signing.
"I was honored to have had the opportunity to be present during this event," Horner said. "This partnership is a great first step in inspiring health professionals to consider a career in the Air Force. Whether students decide to join the Air Force or not, they are getting an opportunity to see their Air Force in action first-hand and we are building life-long advocates of our service."

The first rotation of students will begin January 2013.

"We have to think outside the box in the very challenging career of Health Professions recruiting," Valentine said. "This is a 'win-win' situation for everyone involved."

(Laura Baldwin, Arcadia University contributed to this story)