The Indiana State University Physician Assistant Program has been put on accreditation-probation status due to the shortage of full-time faculty needed to support and expand the program long-term, according to an email statement from ISU. The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. decided to put the program on probation at its September 2023 meeting.
“The accreditation review team wanted us to develop a more complete and detailed Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion plan,” the email statement said. “We’re working on both of these primary issues, including the recent launch of a search for a new full-time faculty member and completion of a revised DEI plan.”
The statement said the accrediting commission did not have any concerns on post-graduation success of the program. Based on program history, the graduation rate lands at 95 percent or better. Six months after completing the program, the employment rate for graduates has come out to be 95 percent or higher.
According to an article from the Tribune Star, the probation status does not impact current students in the program, but limits future commits. Normally, the program holds 90 students; they admit around 30 students every January. Currently, there are only 60 students enrolled.
“We hope to receive authorization from the accrediting agency to admit the new cohort in January, 2025, which would be the normal timeline,” ISU’s statement said. “Per their decision and rules we were not able to enroll a class in January, 2024.”
ISU officials submitted their initial response with updated plans to the accreditors last week and are awaiting a response. The physician assistant program will be on probation until the ARC-PA reviews its status next in September 2025.