Tri-C Physician Assistant Program Retains Accreditation

Status as accredited program will continue through December 2018

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C^®) today announced that its Physician Assistant (PA) program will retain accreditation through December 2018 and the graduation of all current students.

The program will hold a probationary accreditation from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) during this period. The timeframe allows two classes totaling 60 students to complete their studies.

“This outcome offers our PA students the opportunity to continue a legacy of success that dates back more than four decades,” Tri-C President Alex Johnson said. “These are the caregivers of tomorrow in our community.”

The announcement follows a contested accreditation review process by ARC-PA, which moved earlier this year to withdraw accreditation from the College’s program. Tri-C appealed the decision.

An agreement between the College and organization led to probationary accreditation for the program through the end of next year. Tri-C can then reapply for accreditation in accordance with ARC-PA standards. In the meantime, no new PA students will be enrolled.

The PA program at Tri-C began in 1974, when it became the first accredited program in Ohio. It grew to a graduate-level program offered in partnership with Cleveland State University, with students enrolled at both institutions while working toward a professional certificate and master’s degree.

The Tri-C program has graduated 169 students since 2013. The average overall pass rate for Tri-C students taking the national certifying exam is 98 percent over the most recent five years of data.

August 24, 2017

John Horton, 216-987-4281 john.horton@tri-c.edu