Roy F. Christensen Building Receives Groundbreaking Renovations for Physician Assistant and Medical Lab Science Programs

Renovations will cover approximately 16,000 square feet of the basement levels of RFC for both the Department of Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) and the Department of Physician Assistant Studies (PAS). This renovation will create a modern learning environment including classrooms and physical skills labs with exam tables, student study spaces, and offices for the students and faculty in both departments. Additionally, there will be approximately 8,000 square feet in the new addition in the north parking area. The project is slated to take up to 18 months to complete, with April 1, 2027 being the proposed finish date. 

With the need for PA’s growing across the state and nation, ISU’s PA program has become a cornerstone of essential health care education. To keep up with the growing demand, the Department of Physician Assistant Studies (PAS) has contributed nearly $2 million of internal funding to reach a total project budget of $17,568,100. The State of Idaho is also helping to fund the project with a contribution over $3.5 million to the project budget. Although the MLS space renovation is technically a separate project, the totality of those resources are all going toward a significant renovation of the space in the RFC building for PAS and MLS programs. 

“This renovation is a powerful investment in Idaho’s future,” said ISU President Robert Wagner. “By expanding modern classroom and clinical training spaces, we are preparing the next generation of healthcare professionals our communities need. This project strengthens our ability to educate students, retain talent in Idaho, and improve access to high-caliber healthcare across the state.”

“Pulling together multiple funding sources to optimize the impact for high demand careers in the workforce is why this project is so important”, says Rex Force, ISU’s vice president for health sciences. 

This new facility represents a transformative investment in the future of health care education at Idaho State University and in the health of communities across our state. For 30 years, the ISU physician assistant studies program has trained PAs who care for people in Idaho and across the nation.

“We are deeply grateful to the Idaho State Board of Education and to the legislators whose vision and support made this building possible," said Jared Papa, PA program director. Their commitment directly strengthens Idaho’s health care workforce at a time when our state is frequently cited as having the fewest physicians per capita in the nation."

The ISU PA program has a strong reputation for training exceptional health care providers and is proud to be ranked 26th nationally by U.S. News & World Report in its 2025 rankings.

"Each year, we train 72 students who go on to serve as highly skilled, team-based clinicians working in collaboration with physicians and other health professionals to meet Idaho’s healthcare needs," Papa added. "For more than three decades, our program has been dedicated to addressing the need for medical providers, particularly in rural and underserved communities.”

Dr. Rachel Hulse, department chair for MLS said, “On behalf of the Medical Laboratory Science program at Idaho State University, I want to express our sincere gratitude to the Idaho State Board of Education for this extraordinary investment in our students and our state. Their support allows us to expand our laboratory and classroom spaces, ensuring our graduates are prepared with the hands-on training and expertise that Idaho’s healthcare system urgently needs. This funding is not just an investment in our program—it’s an investment in the future of our workforce, our communities, and the quality of care delivered across Idaho. We are deeply grateful for their trust in our mission and their commitment to strengthening healthcare for all Idahoans.”

The Kasiska Division of Health Sciences sincerely thanks the Idaho State Board of Education for this extraordinary investment in our students and our state. By investing in this project, Idaho is investing in the people who will serve our communities and strengthen access to high-quality health care across the state. Through expanded learning environments, students will be equipped with crucial hands-on skills. By attracting the best students from Idaho and beyond, we'll build a stronger, locally-rooted health care workforce dedicated to serving Idaho.

This new facility will bring our programs to the cutting edge of medical education, expanding classroom and clinical training spaces and enhancing hands-on learning for years to come. It will allow Idaho to recruit and retain exceptional students, both from within our state and from across the nation, who are committed to caring for Idaho’s communities.