Keck Graduate Institute President Dr. Sheldon Schuster announced today that KGI’s Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MSPA) program has received Provisional Accreditation from The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA).
“Receiving provisional accreditation before the beginning of the program is a great accomplishment,” Schuster said. “It demonstrates that our program, instructors, and goals are set up to ensure that our students succeed.”
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’s ability to meet the ARC-PA Standards.
“Receiving this provisional accreditation is a validation of our team’s tremendous efforts and strategic planning and the unwavering commitment of KGI to our program,” Founding MSPA Program Director Sonia Otte said.
“It has been a journey to get here, but we are excited to begin developing the next generation of physician assistants.”
The inaugural MSPA cohort is anticipated to start this upcoming fall. The 27-month program will prepare students to become integral members of the healthcare team and provide compassionate care to their communities.
The MSPA program will have two additional applications and site visits as part of the accreditation process. The other evaluations will take place over the next 4-5 years and must be completed before Accreditation-Continued status can be granted.
About ARC-PA
The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) is the accrediting agency that protects the interests of the public and PA profession by defining the standards for PA education and evaluating PA educational programs within the territorial United States to ensure their compliance with those standards.
The ARC-PA is an independent accrediting body authorized to accredit qualified PA educational programs leading to the professional credential, Physician Assistant (PA). Accreditation is a process of quality assurance that determines whether the program meets established standards for function, structure and performance. The ARC-PA does not accredit any academic degree awarded by the sponsoring institution of the PA program.