Program Accreditation
The goals and objectives of the South College Masters of Health Science Physician Assistant Studies Program are guided by the criteria set forth in the Standards and Guidelines for an Accredited Educational Program for the Physician Assistant as established by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA).
The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) has granted Accreditation - Continued to the Masters of Health Science Physician Assistant Program sponsored by South College. Continued accreditation is an accreditation status granted when a currently accredited program is in compliance with the ARC-PA Standards.
Continued 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remains in effect until the program closes or withdraws from the accreditation process or until accreditation is withdrawn for failure to comply with the standards.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 September 2017.
These guidelines state that the Physician Assistant is academically and clinically prepared to provide health care services with the direction and supervision of a licensed Physician. The role of the Physician Assistant demands intelligence, sound judgment, intellectual honesty, appropriate interpersonal skills, and the capacity to react to emergencies in a calm and reasoned manner. Additionally it requires an attitude of respect for self and others, adherence to the concepts of privilege and confidentiality in communicating with patients, and a commitment to the patient’s welfare are essential attributes.
As of 2012, South College is one of the 170 Physician Assistant educational programs accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc (ARC-PA). The ARC-PA is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) as the official accrediting agency for Physician Assistant educational programs.
All students completing study in an accredited program are eligible to sit for the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE) administered by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) and for obtaining a state license. For more information on the ARC-PA please visit their website.
South College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) to offer programs at the doctorate, masters, baccalaureate, and associate levels.
