Illinois PAs Applaud New Statewide Initiative Supporting PA Students’ Licensure Prep
SPRINGFIELD, IL — The Illinois Academy of PAs (IAPA) celebrates the early success of Prepare for Illinois’ Future, a first-in-the-nation initiative providing universal test preparation for career licensure and graduate school entrance exams to students across Illinois public universities and pilot community colleges.
In a video statement, Colonel Jayson Coble, PA-C, and State Surgeon of the Illinois National Guard, praised the program’s impact on PA students:
“In just two months, more than two dozen students have already signed up for the physician assistant national certification examination preparatory course—taking a critical step toward a rewarding career with substantial earning potential, while saving them cumulatively $14,000 in out-of-pocket costs.”
Funded through the Illinois state budget and administered by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) in partnership with Kaplan, the initiative is eliminating barriers for students pursuing high-demand fields, including physician assistant studies.
“This program is an extraordinary example of how strategic state investment can fuel career readiness and healthcare access,” said Timothy Kinsey, PA-C, Executive Director of IAPA. “By removing the financial strain of test preparation, we are empowering a new generation of PAs to meet Illinois’ growing healthcare needs.”
The IAPA applauds state leaders and educational institutions for prioritizing students and investing in the future of healthcare.
