Developing Programs Questions
Programs pursing accreditation should not matriculate students until the program has been granted provisional accreditation. In addition, prior to achieving provisional accreditation, the program must agree to inform, in writing, everyone who requests information, applies, or plans to enroll that the program is not yet accredited and must convey the implications of non-accreditation to applicants.
The institution can certainly have two programs in the applicant process at the same time. There is no negative connotation, and each program would be reviewed independently from the other.
The ARC-PA only accredits programs that educate PAs.
Institutions investigating starting a PA program should review the Provisional Accreditation section of this website and contact the ARC-PA Accreditation Services for more information.
The ARC-PA accredits only qualified PA programs offered by or located within institutions chartered by and physically located within the United States and where students are geographically located within the United States for their education.
A single institution must be clearly identified as the sponsor of the program. Sponsoring institutions applying for provisional accreditation of a new PA program must be authorized under applicable law to provide a program of post-secondary education. They must be accredited by, and in good standing with, a recognized regional accrediting agency and must be authorized by that agency to confer upon graduates of the PA program a graduate degree.
The ARC-PA recognizes that writing instructional objectives that effectively guide student learning is no easy task. The ARC-PA has developed a guide that may be of help to applicant programs in developing syllabi and objectives, describing competencies, and writing syllabi. The document titled “Syllabi, Program Competencies, Learning Outcomes & Instructional Objectives, Standards 5th edition” is updated periodically and is available on the Entry Level Manuals and Guides page of this website.
ARC-PA policy prohibits the commission, site visitors or staff from providing consultation services or maintaining or recommending consultants. The ARC-PA staff is available to answer questions regarding accreditation processes and procedures.
Faculty positions may be posted on the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA) website by members or by developing programs.
Applicant programs should contact Accreditation Services and they can provide applicants with an appropriate timeline.
Learn the unique roles that the four major national PA organizations play in the support of PAs from the beginning and throughout their careers by watching this video. Learn how they are enabling PAs to deliver high quality, accessible care to their patients.
Actions taken at commission meetings are usually communicated to programs within four to six weeks after the meeting.
For additional questions, submit them to ARC-PA Accreditation Services.