UM-Flint Physician Assistant program earns Accreditation-Continued from ARC-PA

The University of Michigan-Flint has announced that its Master of Science in Physician Assistant program has received Accreditation-Continued status from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant.

"This recognition represents a significant milestone and reaffirms the program's commitment to delivering high-quality education, clinical excellence, and preparing the next generation of health care leaders," said Donna Fry, College of Health Sciences dean. "The continued accreditation status reflects the unwavering dedication of UM-Flint's exceptional faculty, staff, and clinical partners, which led to the program's initial accreditation in 2020."

"This achievement is a testament to the strength of our curriculum, the caliber of our faculty, and the hard work of everyone involved in the program," said Stephanie Gilkey, PA program director.  "We are honored to continue serving our community by equipping students with the knowledge, skills and compassion to thrive in today's dynamic health care landscape."

ARC-PA awards accreditation to programs through a peer review process that includes documentation and periodic site visit evaluations. The accreditation process is designed to encourage sound educational practices and innovation by programs and to stimulate continuous self-study and improvement. 

UM-Flint's PA program combines rigorous academic instruction with extensive hands-on clinical experience, providing students with the tools needed to make an immediate impact in the field of health care. 

Some students take the opportunity to make that "immediate impact" on health care quite literally. For example, a group of students worked with the Genesee Community Health Center to install a vending machine that dispenses naloxone–the lifesaving drug that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose–in Flint. Lauren Allen, Emily Barrie and Zehra Alghazaly, all 2023 graduates, said the project was born out of the PA program's Leadership, Advocacy and Interprofessional Teamwork course, in which students are asked to design a project that has the potential for long-term community involvement.

"The fact that this project is live is very fulfilling," Alghazaly said. "We made an impact on the community before we graduated."

Keith Saylor, a 2023 PA program graduate, chose UM-Flint to explore specialties in clinical rotations at highly respected institutions like Michigan Medicine.

"Conducting rotations at Michigan Medicine was incredible exposure," said Saylor. "We were working with world-renowned physicians in their specialties. It is hard to convey how much you change as a person and how much knowledge you gain."

ARC-PA will next review UM-Flint's accreditation in 2035 according to its standard 10-year continuing cycle. 

More information about UM-Flint's PA program can be found on its webpage.