Two programs granted provisional accreditation

At its June 2024 meeting, ARC-PA announced that two 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 310. 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 two programs as they prepare to educate the next generation of PAs:

Hawai’i Pacific University Physician Assistant Program

Hawai’i Pacific University, Honolulu, Hawai’i

Program Director: Leocadia Conlin, PhD, MPH, PA-C

“This achievement was made possible by the vision of Hawaiʻi Pacific University leadership, the support of our community, and the talent and dedication of our faculty and staff. We are committed to fostering student success and contributing to the growth of the PA workforce to fill critical gaps in Hawaiʻi’s healthcare system and underserved communities. Grounded in Hawaiian values, the program also aims to build a deep understanding of the diverse communities of Hawaiʻi and the unique healthcare needs of our island state,” said Conlin, who is also an associate professor.

Touro University California – Los Angeles Physician Assistant Program

Touro University California – Los Angeles 

Program Director: Joanne DePrisco, MS, PA-C

“This achievement is a testament to our dedication and hard work in developing our program. We eagerly look forward to educating our students to be well-prepared and to meet the needs of the Los Angeles community. Our goal is to deliver a quality educational experience that will prepare our students for entry into clinical practice. We are committed to instilling our mission of educating capable students from diverse backgrounds to meet the challenges of practicing medicine in collaboration with physicians and other members of the healthcare team.” said DePrisco.

According to DePrisco, who is also an assistant dean at Touro’s College of Education and Health Sciences, faculty and staff were “elated” to have been granted the Accreditation-Provisional status by ARC-PA.