The university is not only a place to help students in the program, but also a place for students hoping to integrate biblical principles into their work.
“Our mission is to equip and disciple the next generation of Christian PA students,” said program director Jason Grahame. “The unique thing about this program is the opportunity to operate in this relatively untouched space.”
The program is a “long-time vision” of professor Dee Morris, who served as a PA for over 40 years and was hired over 30 years ago as the professor of allied health and women’s tennis coach.
Morris pitched her vision of the program to each member of the senior administration team, which was granted in 2016 when the university began pursing the program internally and externally.
An outside firm conducted a market analysis in 2018, and an advisory council was established a year later to discuss the research and determine the next steps. Once the idea was approved by the university’s leadership, they had to hire a program director and more faculty and staff, develop the curriculum, and receive approval and accreditation from the state, regional and national entities.
The program was then granted accreditation-provisional status by the professional accreditor for physician assistant programs in the U.S. a few months ago.
Cedarville said it 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.
Students in the program will have training in biblical integration in each class of the curriculum. It will also offer students new facilities, as it’s now part of the Callan Athletic Center expansion, which includes faculty offices, a conference room, a 32-seat classroom, a clinical laboratory, a graduate lounge and collaboration spaces.
“If you think about the history of medicine, it began as an outreach of the church to care for the poor, destitute and needy,” Grahame said. “Many hospitals were formed as an extension of the church. We want to keep this alive, allowing students to practice their beliefs in their practice.”
Rolling admission for the program is open, as it’s on track for its first class of 30 students in May. For the application or more information, visit www.cedarville.edu/PA.
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