Biography
Van Roper, PhD, RN, FNP-C, is a clinician educator - associate professor and the clinical medical director of Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) Primary Care AHEC ECHO Clinic and the Psychiatric Mental Health NP ECHO Clinic at The University of New Mexico College of Nursing. He has been in clinical practice for more than 25 years, primarily in rural, frontier and urban underserved populations, ranging from Georgia, Alaska, Oregon and Arizona, including at the Mexico border. In 2014, he established and continues to direct the first primary care and exclusively nurse run ECHO clinic by launching the Primary Care ECHO Clinic at the University of New Mexico (UNM), Project ECHO Institute. The most recent innovation includes a collaboration between the Primary Care ECHO Clinic and the New Mexico Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) funded Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) creating a virtual central hub to support rural clinicians and health sciences students in interprofessional healthcare statewide. Dr. Roper has extensive experience in rural health care both as a clinician and administrator on a national and international level.
Dr. Roper received his Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing from the University of Arizona in Tucson, his Master of Science in Nursing from Georgia State University in Atlanta and his Associate's Degree of Nursing from Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, Georgia.
Personal Statement
Dr. Roper's clinical and research interests include rural health, telehealth, healthcare systems, clinical decision making, and marginalized population healthcare. As an investigator, co-investigator, and collaborator on several university, HRSA, NIH, and privately funded grants and initiatives, he has laid the foundation for unique programs which include utilization of telehealth in support of primary care rural health clinicians and incorporated programs into curriculum for interprofessional health sciences students. He has established and nurtured numerous organizational relationships including the New Mexico Primary Care Association and the New Mexico Dental Foundation generating strong ties with organizations, health systems, clinics, clinicians, and educators. He has collaborated with the New Mexico Dental Foundation and Remote Area Medical (RAM) to provide free medical services around the state during NM Mission of Mercy and RAM events. He has also been clinical director for mission clinics in countries around the world.
He has mentored graduate students in a variety of systems research and projects focused on improving healthcare practice and delivery. His current research includes study of the use of Project ECHO in academic interprofessional education, rural health, telehealth, and interprofessional healthcare collaboration. He has a special interest in complex chronic disease management in rural settings and interprofessional education.
Areas of Specialty
American Indian/ Alaska Native Health | Epidemiology | Family-Centered Care | International/Global Health | Interprofessional Education | Leadership/Leadership Development | Primary Care | Rural Health | Substance Abuse | Underserved Populations
Education
PhD, University of Arizona, 2011 (Nursing)
MS, Georgia State University, 1996 (Family Nurse Practitioner)
ADN, Kennesaw State University, 1991 (Nursing)
Certifications
RN: Registered Nurse
FNP-BC: Family Nurse Practitioner Board Certified
Achievements & Awards
FAANP: Fellow of the American Academic of Nurse Practitioners
Sigma Theta Tau International Honors Society Member
Gender
Male
Courses Taught
N526 Pathophysiology for Advanced Nursing Practice (FNP, PNP, CNM, AGACNP, PMHNP)
N535 Primary Care Adults I (FNP)
N536 Primary Care Adults II (FNP)
N537 Primary Care Adults III (FNP)
N540 Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning (FNP, ACNP, CNM, PNP, PMHNP)
N542 Primary Care Pediatrics I (PNP & FNP)
N543 Pharmacological Principles of Clinical Therapeutics (FNP, PNP, AGACNP, CNM, PMHNP)
N546 Primary Care Pediatrics II (PNP & FNP)
N560 Clinical Decision-Making (AGACNP)
N595 Advanced Fieldwork (FNP, PNP, AGACNP, CNM)
N611 Rural Health (PhD)
N702 Applied Epidemiology (DNP)
N720 Etiology & Management of Complex Health & Illness in Rural Health (DNP)
N795 DNP Residency
Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) Complex Chronic Disease Management Inter-Professional Education Rotation (SoM, CoP)