Accreditation for the PC Physician Assistant program

Accreditation for the PC Physician Assistant program

On April 10, 2018, President Bob Staton received a “notice of adverse action” from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Incorporated (ARC-PA) detailing the reasons that Presbyterian College’s accreditation for the new Physician Assistant program has been withheld. Presbyterian College has 10 days to respond to the letter.

Statement from President Staton

“We are surprised and disappointed by the ARC-PA decision to withhold accreditation for PC’s new Physician Assistant program. We are especially concerned about the students who have accepted our offer of admission and were planning to enroll this summer, as well as the faculty and staff who have committed to the PA program. We have contacted the students and will keep them informed about future developments and their options.

“Throughout the development of this program, we have been confident in the quality of our application and responsive to observations provided to us as part of the accreditation process. We continue to explore our options, however, so that we may best deliver on The Promise of PC for both graduate and undergraduate programs. We will keep the students, faculty and campus informed as we determine next steps for the PA program.

“We remain committed to Health Professions as a core element of The Promise of PC. The PA program is an important part of that plan, but it is not the only component. We intend to move forward confidently on the belief that The Promise of PC will increase enrollment and lead to a sustainable financial position.”