University of Bridgeport Physician Assistant Program Achieves Outstanding 10-Year Accreditation-Continued Status

University of Bridgeport (UB) is thrilled to announce its Physician Assistant program has received a 10-year Accreditation-Continued status from The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA). This accreditation is crucial for graduates who are required to hold a degree from an accredited institution to earn licensure to practice.

This achievement comes after an intensive review process overseen by ARC-PA. According to the agency’s standards, program accreditation reflects “a determination that a commonality in the core professional curriculum of programs remains desirable and necessary to offer curricula of sufficient depth and breadth to prepare all PA graduates for practice.”

UB’s Physician Assistant program boasts a rigorous and comprehensive curriculum which prepares its students for both success and longevity in their future healthcare careers. This 10-year period of accreditation is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the Physician Assistant faculty and staff at UB.

“At UB, we have one of the highest quality PA training programs in the region, as this accreditation and our students’ success have shown. The excellent work by leadership and faculty of the program is the reason for these achievements,” says Manyul Im, Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs.

University of Bridgeport’s Physician Assistant Institute (PAI), which operates under the College of Health Sciences, prepares graduates to become patient-centered, evidence-based healthcare providers. The program has seen students compete and win state and national medical challenge bowls, including taking first place at the 33rd annual AAPA National Medical Challenge Bowl, held in May of this year.

“We have exceptionally hard-working and dedicated faculty, adjuncts, and clinical preceptors who help support our rigorous curriculum. I am very proud of the program and its contribution to the local and national PA workforce,” says Lauren Weindling, Director of the Physician Assistant Institute.

“The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA) has granted Accreditation-Continued status to the University of Bridgeport Physician Assistant Program sponsored by University of Bridgeport,” ARC-PA said in a statement. “Accreditation-Continued is an accreditation status granted when a currently accredited program is in compliance with the ARC-PA Standards.”

The statement 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 2033. The review date is contingent upon continued compliance with the Accreditation Standards and ARC-PA policy.”

Interested in beginning your own career as a physician assistant? Start by learning more about our Physician Assistant program today!