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Female student learning to intubate a person

Marietta College’s Physician Assistant Program — a graduate-level program — has achieved a major milestone with recognition by the national accrediting body that reviews PA programs.

Marietta’s program, which was started in 2002, was recently granted Accreditation-Continued status by the Accreditation Review Committee on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA).

“I’m extremely pleased that the ARC-PA validated what we already knew — the Marietta program is solid and strong. We have dedicated and talented faculty and staff who are committed to mentoring our students into exceptional physician assistants,” said Miranda Collins, Director of Marietta’s PA Program.

Marietta’s PA Program had been provisionally accredited by ARC-PA before receiving the latest accreditation. The continued accreditation status remains valid for the next 10 years, as long as the program remains compliant with Accreditation Standards and ARC-PA policy.

Marietta’s program is one of 235 physician assistant program in the United States accredited by ARC-PA. Within Ohio, Marietta is one of only five with accreditation-continued status.

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remains in effect until the program closes or withdraws from the accreditation process or until accreditation is withdrawn for failure to comply with the Standards.

Marietta will enroll its 17th class in June and the program’s 15th class graduates at 1 p.m., Saturday, July 21, in the Dyson Baudo Recreation Center. It will bring the total number of graduates to 422. The program has averaged more than 800 applications each year for just 36 seats in each incoming class.

“This achievement, which clearly displays the high standard of quality of our PA Program, is a well-deserved verification of the extraordinary work of the faculty, staff and students in our Physician Assistant Studies Program,” said Marietta College President Bill Ruud. “I am deeply proud of Program Director Miranda Collins and her leadership during this exhaustive review that included an aggressive timeline. This is an important achievement for our PA Program and we look forward to their continued success and the future accomplishments of our students and graduates.”