Three Programs Granted Provisional Accreditation

At its March 2023 meeting, ARC-PA announced that three new entry-level PA programs had been awarded provisional accreditation.

With the addition of these newly accredited programs, the number of PA programs in the United States now stands at 303. This remarkable growth is indicative of the dedication of our PA education community—because of the work you do each day, there are now more students than ever who are seeking entry into the PA profession.

Please join us in congratulating these three programs as they prepare to educate the next generation of PAs:

Creighton University-Phoenix Physician Assistant Program
Creighton University, Phoenix, Arizona
Program Director: Emily D. Babcock, DHSc, PA-C

“We look forward to welcoming our first class of students in a few short months,” said Babcock who is also an associate professor at the program.

Drury University Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies
Drury University, Springfield, Missouri
Program Director: Kathleen Flach, BA, BS, MEd, MMS, PA-C

“The Drury University PA Program is very excited to be awarded Accreditation-Provisional. Faculty and staff have been working hard to prepare for our inaugural class to start August 2023, and we cannot wait to be part of our students’ journey to becoming physician assistants,” said Flach, who is also a clinical professor in the program.

Howard University Department of Physician Assistant
Howard University, College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences, Washington, DC
Program Director: Dionne Marie Soares, MPAS, PA-C

“It was a collaborative effort to acquire accreditation-provisional status. We are excited to have the opportunity to provide PA education and clinical training at Howard University,” said Soares, who is also a clinical assistant professor and chairperson of the program.