LHU Physician Assistant Program Gets Renewed Accreditation

LOCK HAVEN — The Lock Haven University physician assistant program has been granted Accreditation-Continued status by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA).

The decision is based on the program application and appendices, the report of the site visit team, the program response to observations, and its accreditation history.

The ARC-PA has extended the time between regularly scheduled validation reviews from seven to 10 years, with the next validation review of the program being September 2027.

“The efforts of our faculty, clinical precepting faculty, administration, students, and alumni highlighted our program to the accrediting body at the site visit this summer. Reaccreditation validates the solid 21-year strong curriculum, and successful outcomes of our PA program,” Sarah Lewis, program director and assistant professor in the Department of Physician Assistant Studies at LHU, said. “The LHU PA program has been recognized nationally as seventh in the country for the number of alumni practicing in underserved clinical regions, truly meeting the mission of the program. We are excited to continue the LHU PA program for another decade of accreditation.”

The LHU physician assistant program graduates about 1 percent of the country’s new PAs each year, with a class of 72 students, according to Lewis.

“Our class is proud to see all of the effort and hard work put in by Sarah Lewis and the rest of our faculty, has resulted in LHU’s PA program reaccreditation for many years to come,” Alicia Spees, of Rockford, Michigan, second year PA student, said. “We are excited that future students will have the same opportunities to become responsible and hardworking by training to become a PA under Lock Haven.”

“The faculty and staff of the PA program at Lock Haven University have worked hard to provide a high quality educational experience for our students,” Walter Eisenhauer, professor and Physician Assistant Department chair at LHU, said. “We have enjoyed exceptional support of the university and administration over the years. It is very gratifying to have this recognized externally by ARC-PA. Potential, current, and former students benefit in the knowledge that they can receive a highly regarded, high quality education at ‘The Haven.’ ”