Cedarville is the only Christian evangelical university in Ohio that offers a PA program, and one of 17 among the state’s 137 colleges and universities.
The university plans to enroll its first cohort of 30 students in May 2023.
“We celebrate this significant milestone with gratefulness to God and appreciation for the excellent work of the PA faculty team, led by Prof. Jason Grahame,” said President Thomas White. “We look forward to welcoming our first cohort of PA students to campus next May and equipping them to serve their patients with skill and compassion as a ministry for Christ.”
ARC-PA grants accreditation-provisional status to qualified programs that meet its professional standards for PA education but have not yet enrolled students, according to the university. The status doesn’t ensure any subsequent accreditation status, and is limited to no more than five years from admission of the first class.
This status is granted when the plans and resources, if fully implemented, appear to demonstrate the program’s ability to meet ARC-PA standards or appear to demonstrate continued progress in complying with the standards as it prepares for the graduation of the first class of students.
The university’s 24-month, full-time Master of Medical Science in PA studies will be divided into two phases: a didactic year and a clinical year. The courses during the didactic year will build on previous undergraduate education and prepare students for their clinical year, which focuses on giving them relevant professional experiences.
The curriculum will provide learning and hands-on opportunities to obtain the knowledge, skills and professional experience needed to care for patients as a PA, and will allow students to enter the healthcare practice more quickly.
The program will be housed on the second flood of the Callan Athletic Center, which will provide classroom and lab space as well as collaboration and meeting spaces. Graduates will be able to treat the whole patient, physically and spiritually.
“Coming at PA education with a biblical model will be a benefit for our students as they engage holistically with patients,” said Jason Grahame, program director and associate professor of PA studies. “The right biblical understanding of the body and truth informs how we approach healthcare.”
The PA program is now accepting applications through the centralized application system for PA programs (CASPA) at www.cedarville.edu/admissions/graduate/grad-app-landing for its May 2023 cohort.
About the Author
