MHS in Physician Assistant Accreditation and Policies

Student Learning Outcomes - Program Competencies

Upon completion of the Physician Assistant program, students will demonstrate the following competencies:

1. Medical Knowledge: Demonstrate a knowledge of biomedical and clinical sciences and apply this knowledge to patient care in a variety of clinical setting as an entry-level practitioner.
2. Interpersonal and Communication Skills: Possess the ability to safely and effectively communicate with various populations, including but not limited to other healthcare providers, members of the healthcare team, patients and their families.
3. Patient Care: Be able to provide cost-effective, equitable, high-quality patient care in a variety of settings as an entry-level practitioner.
4. Professionalism: Demonstrate the attributes of a high-quality healthcare provider, and be able to apply an ethical framework in medical decision-making, practice evaluation, and their altruism to their profession, community and society.
5. Practice-Based Learning and Improvement: Be able to evaluate, assess and critically analyze their patient care practices.
6. Systems-Based Practice: Demonstrate an awareness and responsiveness to all aspects of the healthcare system.

The PA program measures the attainment of these competencies through entrustable professional activities (EPAs). Students must be entrusted at specific, predetermined levels for core and non-core EPAs.

Accreditation

At its September 2023 meeting, the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA) placed the Quinnipiac University Physician Assistant Program sponsored by Quinnipiac University on Accreditation-Probation status until its next review in September 2025.

Probation accreditation is a temporary accreditation status initially of not less than two years. However, that period may be extended by the ARC-PA for up to an additional two years if the ARC-PA finds that the program is making substantial progress toward meeting all applicable standards but requires additional time to come into full compliance. Probation accreditation status is granted, at the sole discretion of the ARC-PA, when a program holding an accreditation status of Accreditation - Provisional or Accreditation - Continued does not, in the judgment of the ARC-PA, meet the Standards or when the capability of the program to provide an acceptable educational experience for its students is threatened.

Once placed on probation, a program that fails to comply with accreditation requirements in a timely manner, as specified by the ARC-PA, may be scheduled for a focused site visit and is subject to having its accreditation withdrawn.

Specific questions regarding the Program and its plans should be directed to the Program Director and/or the appropriate institutional official(s).

The program’s accreditation history can be viewed on the ARC-PA website at https://www.arc-pa.org/accreditation-history-quinnipiac-university/.

7-2024 Updates:

Quinnipiac University, the School of Health Sciences and the Physician Assistant (PA) program acknowledge the importance of the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). The program and institution have made several changes and will continue to comply with the necessary requirements from the ARC-PA. The program and institution are committed to do what is needed to ensure our next program review by the ARC-PA results in the restoration of Accreditation-Continuing status.

Since the last update on February 14, 2024, the team of institutional, school and program faculty and administrators have:

• Hired a new full-time, 12-month administrative assistant for the PA program who joined the team in early May 2024.
• Completed interviews to identify the best applicants for the new full-time, 12-month Coordinator of Program Data and Assessment position for the PA program. The most qualified applicant started in the full-time position on July 1, 2024.
• Completed interviews to identify the best applicants for the new full-time, 12-month principal faculty position for the PA program. This position will share responsibility for PA student academic coaching and remediation. The most qualified applicant is expected to join the team at the beginning of the Fall 2024 semester.
• Met biweekly to allow for open communication and to assess the progress of remediating the deficiencies identified by the ARC-PA and to assist with other program initiatives.
• Worked with our external consultants with expertise in PA program accreditation and ongoing programmatic assessment. These consultants meet biweekly with the program assessment team.
• Met with clinical partners to create new and expand existing clinical experiences for our students. As a result, we gained a number of family medicine rotation sites.
• A faculty member participated in an ARC-PA Accreditation Standards Focus Group in March 2024.
• School leadership attended the ARC-PA Institutional Support Workshop on April 17, 2024.

The PA program faculty, the dean of the School of Health Sciences and the administration of Quinnipiac University are deeply committed to the continued success of our program and the delivery of high-quality Physician Assistant education to our top priority — our students. Our next report, a modified self-study report, is due to the ARC-PA on February 1, 2025. We are actively working on this document with our external consultants.

2-14-24 Updates:

Quinnipiac University, the School of Health Sciences and the Physician Assistant (PA) program acknowledge the importance of the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) and its placement of the PA program on Accreditation-Probation status in October 2023. The program and institution have already made several changes and will continue to comply with the necessary requirements from the ARC-PA. The program and institution are committed to do what is needed to ensure our next program review by the ARC-PA results in the restoration of non-probationary status.

Since the last update on December 18, 2023, the team of institutional, school and program faculty and administrators have:

• Submitted the required citation response document to the ARC-PA on February 1, 2024.
• Reviewed applicants and held interviews for a new full-time, 12-month administrative assistant position for the PA program with the goal of bringing this new staff member on board as soon as possible.
• Reviewed applicants and held interviews for a new full-time, 12-month Coordinator of Program Data and Assessment position for the PA program with the goal of bringing this new faculty member on board as soon as possible.
• Hired a visiting faculty member who is acting as the interim Coordinator of Program Data and Assessment during the search of the new full-time, 12-month position in the Spring 2024 semester.
• Approved and posted a new full-time, 12-month principal faculty position for the PA program. This position will share responsibility for PA student academic coaching and remediation. The search committee is actively hiring for this position.
• Met weekly to allow for open communication and to assess the progress of program goals.
• Met with our external consultant with expertise in PA program accreditation and ongoing programmatic assessment. The consultant led a two-day intensive assessment workshop and is meeting weekly with program faculty.
• Met with clinical partners to create new and expand existing clinical experiences for our students.
• Continued to demonstrate excellent student outcomes on the first-time Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE) with a pass rate of 96% in 2023, exceeding the national average of 92%.
• Supported PA faculty to attend ARC-PA Accreditation and Self-Study Workshops in January 2024. The PA program director also participated in ARC-PA New Site Visitor Training in December 2023 and a faculty member has been invited to participate in an ARC-PA Accreditation Standards Focus Group in March 2024.

The PA program faculty, the dean of the School of Health Sciences and the administration of Quinnipiac University are deeply committed to the continued success of our program and the delivery of high-quality Physician Assistant education to our top priority — our students. Our next report, a modified self-study report, is due to the ARC-PA February 1, 2025. We are actively working on this document with our external consultant.

12-18-23 Updates:

Quinnipiac University, the School of Health Sciences, and the Physician Assistant program acknowledge the importance of the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) recent placement of the PA program on Accreditation-Probation status. The program and institution have made several changes and will continue to comply with the necessary requirements from the ARC-PA. The program and institution are committed to doing what is needed to ensure that our next review by the ARC-PA results in restoration of the non-probationary status.

Since the notification by the ARC-PA, the team of institutional, school and program faculty and administrators have:

• Submitted a detailed description of the process used to notify students and applicants as required by the ARC-PA.
• Submitted the annual report for the program as required by the ARC-PA (December 14, 2023).
• Approved and posted a new full-time 12-month administrative assistant position for the PA program. The search committee is actively hiring for this position.
• Approved and posted a new full-time 12-month Coordinator of Program Data and Assessment position for the PA program. A search committee has been developed.
• Approved and posted a new full-time 12-month Director of Clinical Education and Experiential Learning position. The search committee is actively hiring for this position.
• Hired a visiting faculty member to serve as Interim Coordinator of Program Data and Assessment in the PA program for one year to provide immediate support to the program.
• Organized weekly meetings comprised of program faculty, leadership and the dean’s office to allow for open communication and to assess goal progress.
• Contracted and hired an external consultant with expertise in PA program accreditation and ongoing programmatic assessment. The consultant has onboarded our program and is meeting weekly with program faculty.
• Enacted plans and completed work on many of the requirements of the ARC-PA such as updating syllabi for clinical rotations.

We would also like to note that we have received numerous statements of support from PA alumni and PA clinical partners that attest to the quality of the PA program and the excellence of our PA students and PA graduates. We will continue to provide updates regularly on our progress.

The PA program faculty, the dean of the School of Health Sciences, and the administration of Quinnipiac University are committed to the continued success of our program and our priority: our students.

Review our Accreditation FAQs:

The School of Health Sciences and Quinnipiac University fully support the Physician Assistant Studies Program and are actively addressing the concerns raised by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). We remain committed to student success and delivering a high-quality, nationally ranked program.

What is accreditation and why is it important for academic programs?
Accreditation is a voluntary process academic programs engage in to ensure they are offering high-quality education as defined by the standards set forth by the accrediting body (ARC-PA). This process is important because it provides an opportunity to regularly assess our program by internal and external Physician Assistant educators to identify strengths and areas for continuous improvement.

Is a program on Accreditation-Probation status still accredited?
Yes, the Physician Assistant program at QU remains accredited. Accreditation-Probation is a temporary accreditation status to allow programs to make improvements more closely aligned to ARC-PA standards.

How will the Accreditation-Probation status affect the ability of QU to support newly admitted students and current students in this program?
The program will continue its longstanding practice of delivering high-quality education to enable students and graduates to flourish as physician assistants.

How will the Accreditation-Probation status affect future entering classes?
The Physician Assistant program remains accredited and is permitted to admit students on our regular admissions cycle.

How will the Accreditation-Probation status affect the curriculum and clinical experiences?
There will be no changes to the length of time to graduate, course sequencing or additional classes required as a result of this status change. The program will continue to deliver high-quality didactic instruction and clinical experiences for every student in the program. As supported by the ARC-PA, the program has and will continue to make improvements to the student experience to ensure our students and graduates flourish and are well prepared to enter modern medicine practices.

How does the program’s Accreditation-Probation status affect my degree from QU?
There is no effect on your degree. When you meet the degree requirements of the program, you will be awarded a degree as scheduled.

If the program is on Accreditation-Probation status, can I take the PANCE?
Yes. The program is accredited, which allows all program graduates to take the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE). For more information on QU program PANCE pass rates, please visit the MHS page
https://www.qu.edu/schools/health-sciences/programs/masters-degree/physician-assistant/accreditation-and-policies/

Can I apply for licensure if the program I graduated from is on Accreditation-Probation status?
Yes. The primary requirements for licensure are graduation from an accredited program and NCCPA certification. Our Physician Assistant program remains accredited.

Will the Accreditation-Probation status affect my ability to get a job upon graduation?
No, this will not impact your ability to gain employment upon graduation. The Physician Assistant program is accredited, and all students who complete their degrees will graduate from an accredited program.

How does the Accreditation-Probation status affect program alumni?
This temporary status will not affect licensure or certification of alumni.

If I have questions about what the program was cited for to place it on Accreditation-Probation status, where can I find that information?
The program’s accreditation history can be viewed on the ARC-PA website.
https://www.arc-pa.org/accreditation/accreditation-actions/

How long is the temporary Accreditation-Probation status?
The temporary accreditation-probation status is a status initially not less than two years. That status may be extended for up to an additional two years if the program is making substantial progress toward meeting all applicable standards but requires additional time to come into full compliance.

Will my admission to ELMPA still guarantee me a seat in the graduate physician assistant studies program?
Yes, you have a seat in our graduate program as was promised to you. This temporary status gives us time to respond to what the accrediting body is asking us to do. You will emerge stronger than what we already are as a nationally ranked program with impressive outcomes.

How can I be updated on the action items and progress being made over the next two years?
We remain committed to open communication and transparency during this process. We will be updating our students regularly and are developing a website location where our community can be updated on our action items, progress and status.

Will students get regular updates about the Physician Assistant program accreditation status?
Yes, students will be updated regularly until the next ARC-PA decision in 2025.

Is there any change to the Physician Assistant program requirements and curriculum?
No. Physician Assistant program requirements and curriculum will remain the same for all current students.

Whom should I contact if I have any additional questions regarding the program and its plans?
For specific questions regarding this program and our plans, please contact either Physician Assistant Program Director Dr. Timothy Ferrarotti (timothy.ferrarotti@qu.edu) or School of Health Sciences Dean Dr. Janelle Chiasera (janelle.chiasera@qu.edu).