每日大赛 Physician Assistant Program Receives Provisional Accreditation
The University of La聽Verne鈥檚 new physician assistant master鈥檚 degree program has received provisional accreditation from the field鈥檚 premier national accrediting body.
The approval, granted by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA), is for a new PA Program that has not yet enrolled students.
鈥淭his is a program that will change lives 鈥� the lives of the students seeking a rewarding career and the lives of the patients they will eventually serve,鈥� University of La聽Verne President Devorah Lieberman said. 鈥淭his is a proud moment for all of us.鈥�
The first group of 22 students will begin coursework on August 27.
The need for physician assistants in Inland Southern California rose by 18 percent between 2011 and 2016, according to a Centers of Excellence study. The program is part of the university鈥檚 commitment to expanding health sciences educational programs, outlined in the university鈥檚 2020 Strategic Vision. The program also complements the mission of the Convergence, an initiative aimed at providing skilled and diverse health care professionals for the region.
The physician assistant profession has been named by several top media outlets, including Forbes and USA Today, as the most promising job in America. The demand for physician assistants increased more than 300 percent from 2011 to 2014, according to the healthcare search firm Merritt Hawkins. As of January 2016, there were more than 108,000 certified physician assistants nationwide who interact with patients upwards of 350 million times annually.
鈥淭his is going to have a significant impact on Inland Southern California and we look forward to training our students to meet the health care needs of the region,鈥� said Dr. Michael Estrada, the program鈥檚 director.
Students enrolled in the 27-month program will complete 118 units to receive a master鈥檚 degree. Students will work the first 15 months in the classroom and the following year in hospitals and other medical facilities in Inland Southern California. Scholarships are available through a聽$250,000 gift from Cardenas Markets Inc.
The program鈥檚 accreditation follows a thorough review of both the curriculum and the new faculty.
鈥淲e have no doubt that students will be entering a world-class program,鈥� said Dr. Lawrence Potter, dean of the university鈥檚 College of Arts and Sciences. 鈥淥nce we receive full accreditation, our graduates will be prepared to apply for California鈥檚 State Medical Board or medical boards in other states for a license to practice. We are extremely pleased with our unique PA Program curriculum and its focus on integrating cultural competence and humanistic approaches to working with clients. Our students will be equipped to work in hospitals, private practice, and community clinics and will be trained in a range of specialties such as women鈥檚 health, pediatrics, behavioral and mental health, emergency and family medicine.鈥�
The next application period for students runs from Apr. 27 to Oct. 1.聽Information sessions聽will be held regularly at the University of La聽Verne, 1950 Third St., La聽Verne.
More information on the program is also available on the聽.
Accreditation Statement
The ARC-PA has granted聽础肠肠谤别诲颈迟补迟颈辞苍-笔谤辞惫颈蝉颈辞苍补濒status to the聽University of La聽Verne Physician Assistant Program聽sponsored by the聽University of La聽Verne.
Accreditation-Provisional is an accreditation status granted when the plans and resource allocation, if fully implemented as planned, of a proposed program that has not yet enrolled students appear to demonstrate the program鈥檚 ability to meet the ARC-PA聽厂迟补苍诲补谤诲蝉or when a program holding Accreditation-Provisional status appears to demonstrate continued progress in complying with the聽厂迟补苍诲补谤诲蝉as it prepares for the graduation of the first class (cohort) of students.
Accreditation-Provisional does not ensure any subsequent accreditation status.聽It is limited to no more than five years from matriculation of the first class.
