Accreditation Information

The ARC-PA has granted Accreditation-Provisional status to the West Chester University Physician Assistant Program sponsored by West Chester University of Pennsylvania.

Accreditation-Provisional is an accreditation status granted when the plans and resource allocation, if fully implemented as planned, of a proposed program that has not yet enrolled students appear to demonstrate the program’s ability to meet the ARC-PA Standards or when a program holding Accreditation-Provisional status appears to demonstrate continued progress in complying with the Standards as it prepares for the graduation of the first class (cohort) of students.

Accreditation-Provisional does not ensure any subsequent accreditation status. It is limited to no more than five years from matriculation of the first class.

The program’s accreditation history can be viewed on the ARC-PA website.

Accreditation Timeline:

August 2020: Application for provisional accreditation submitted to ARC-PA

November 2020: ARC-PA Initial Provisional Site Visit completed

March 2021: West Chester University reviewed at ARC-PA Commission meeting

April 2021: West Chester University granted Provisional Accreditation

July 2021: First class began

May 2023: ARC-PA Provisional Monitoring Site Visit

August 2023: First class completed program

October 2023: West Chester University Provisional Accreditation Confirmed

June 2025: ARC-PA Final Provisional Site Visit Scheduled

September 2025 (approximately): Eligible for Accreditation-continued

*A graduate from a provisionally accredited PA program has the same rights and privileges as a graduate from a fully accredited (including the ability to sit for the Physician Assistant National Certification Examination (PANCE).

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