Meet the Students
The Health Resources and Services Administration predicts that by the year 2025, there will be a national deficit of 23,640 primary care physicians. Michigan will have a primary care provider shortage of 960. Amidst this shortage projection, there is an opportunity for advanced practice nurses to help meet the demand for primary care services. The student HRSA grant recipients are from rural or underserved areas and are employed as nurses by our practice partners. As part of the Kirkhof College of Nursing Doctor of Nursing Practice program, the HRSA grant-funded students complete clinical experiences in sites across the state of Michigan located in primary care and/or mental health professional shortage areas. Upon graduation, these Nurse Practitioners will deliver patient care to rural and underserved populations throughout Michigan to help meet the demand for primary care services.
Jason Barney
Jason is a nurse at the McLaren Macomb hospital located on the east side of Michigan. He is passionate about working with underprivileged populations. Jason is in the 2023 DNP cohort in the adult/older adult track. He is “very excited for this opportunity and to be a part of GVSU.”
Jessie VanDonkelaar
Jessie is a nurse interested in working with the mentally ill population and those that come from disadvantaged backgrounds. Her favorite class so far is Pathophysiology. Jessie is in the 2023 DNP cohort with a focus in the adult/older adult track. She is “seeking to use my experience and education to help others out of their own disadvantaged backgrounds and transform the way we approach care by providing total person-centered care in the way I practice.”