College of Saint Mary’s PA Program Receives Continued Accreditation
OMAHA, Neb. – College of Saint Mary (CSM) has announced its Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies program has recently received its accreditation-continued status from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc (ARC-PA).
“Everyone in CSM’s PA program – faculty, staff and students -- has worked extremely hard over the last few years to build a quality program,” said Clare Kennedy, program director. “It’s exciting and rewarding to achieve continued accreditation status. We remain dedicated to training PAs who provide exceptional care to patients, especially those in rural and underserved areas.” Accreditation-continued is an accreditation status granted when a currently accredited program is in compliance with the ARC-PA Standards.
CSM launched its program, which provides the didactic scientific foundation, and essential experiences in clinical practice, research and professional services to prepare for the PA role, in the fall of 2016 when it was granted provisional accreditation. At CSM, a student can go from a high school graduate to a practicing physician assistant in just five years. The program has two pathways – a pre-physician assistant studies to complete an undergraduate degree or graduate entry through CASPA. CSM’s first PA completion ceremony was held in 2018. The graduating class of 2021 had a 100% pass rate on the Physician Assistant Certifying Examination (PANCE).
About the Program
- Choose from two admission pathways. The pre-physician assistant studies offers a 5-year path with an undergraduate degree major in human biology, psychology or general studies. Graduate entry – a 24-month program – can be made through CASPA.
- Be well-equipped to work in a broad range of healthcare settings after completing 12 clinical rotations in various medical environments.
- Gain hands-on experience through our multi-million-dollar, state-of-the-art laboratories, simulation equipment, and eight-bed cadaver lab for gross anatomy.
- Develop a solid foundation of applicable coursework in clinical medicine, pharmacotherapy, behavioral medicine, and more, to excel and lead in any medical setting.
- Complete a credible clinical research project focused on evidence-based practice that you can apply to your future career.
Accreditation Status
The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA) has granted Accreditation-Continued status to the College of St. Mary - NE Physician Assistant Program sponsored by College of St. Mary - NE. Accreditation-Continued is an accreditation status granted when a currently accredited program is in compliance with the ARC-PA Standards.
Accreditation remains in effect until the program closes or withdraws from the accreditation process or until accreditation is withdrawn for failure to comply with the Standards. The approximate date for the next validation review of the program by the ARC-PA will be March 2031. The review date is contingent upon continued compliance with the Accreditation Standards and ARC-PA policy.
The program’s accreditation history can be viewed on the ARC-PA website at http://www.arc-pa.org/accreditation-history-college-of-st-mary.
