Accrediation Statement
The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) has granted Accreditation-Continued status to the Miami Dade College Physician Assistant Program sponsored by Miami Dade College. Accreditation-Continued is an accreditation status granted when a currently accredited program is in compliance with the ARC-PA Standards. 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remains in effect until the program closes or withdraws from the accreditation process or until accreditation is withdrawn for failure to comply with the Standards.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 2025. The review date is contingent upon continued compliance with the Accreditation Standards and ARC-PA policy.
The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA).
The Miami Dade College Physician Assistant Program (MDC-PAP) is accredited by the ARC-PA. This is the accrediting agency that protects the interests of the public and PA profession by defining the standards for PA education and evaluating PA educational programs within the territorial United States to ensure their compliance with those standards.
The National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA)
The NCCPA is the only certifying organization for PAs in the United States providing certification examinations that reflect standards for clinical knowledge, clinical reasoning and other medical skills and professional behaviors required upon entry into practice and throughout the careers of PAs
Certification
Upon successful completion of all required curricular components of the MDC-PAP and the Nova Southeastern University (NSU) Master of Health Science (MHSc) program will simultaneously graduate with the professional credential from MDC and the Master’s degree from NSU.
Subsequently, the program director will confirm with the NCCPA that the student has successfully completed all required curricular components of the program. The student may then apply to take the NCCPA Physician Assistant National Certification Examination (PANCE). All NCCPA PANCE applicants must have confirmed verification of program completion from an ARC-PA accredited program.
Licensing
PA practice is regulated by licensing boards in each state. (PAs in the military undergo a federal privilege process.) In most states, PA licenses are issued through the medical board; although in some states, PAs are licensed through osteopathic and physician assistant licensing boards.
All 50 states and territories of the United States of America require the successful passage of the NCCPA PANCE in order to obtain initial licensure to practice as a Physician AssistantReferences
http://www.arc-pa.org/about/
https://www.nccpa.net/about-nccpa/
https://www.nccpa.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/PANCE-Policy-Procedures-and-Authorization5-21-1.pdf
https://www.aapa.org/download/19739/