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The newly accredited Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MSPAS) program at ӣ����Ƶ of California has grown in size, reach, diversity, and success.

“It was a privilege to work with talented colleagues and collaborators across the ӣ����Ƶ ecosystem to bring this achievement to fruition,” said Dr. Carl Garrubba, Chair and MSPAS Program Director.  “It was a ‘community’ effort in the truest sense of the word, and at the heart of it all is our students.  We are devoted to providing them with excellence in education and training so that they may go out into the world and fulfill their dreams of becoming compassionate, competent medical practitioners.”

The MSPAS program launched in 2017 at a time when employment of PAs was projected to increase by 30 percent from 2014 to 2024. In 2019, Dominican’s first cohort MSPAS class was comprised of 24 students. Since then, the program has increased its enrollment to 35 students per class and demand continues to grow for both PAs and spots in the Dominican program. Dominican has approximately 1,500 applicants each year vying for about 35-40 seats in the 28-month program. 

In addition, the PANCE first-time board pass rate has been 96%, 100%, and 96% the last three consecutive years, an average of 97% first-time pass rate. More than half of the students have had jobs lined up before graduation, with others landing interviews at medical centers and private practices throughout California and across the nation  after graduation.

The makeup of the Class of 2022, scheduled to graduate in December, is 17% male, 20% Hispanic and 46% percent Asian. Students are coming from Nevada, Utah, Oregon, Washington, and California and from as far away as Saudi Arabia. Twenty percent of this year’s class list English as their second language, and one student speaks three languages.

The MSPA program at Dominican is a 28-month year-round program.

The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA) has granted Accreditation-Continued status to the ӣ����Ƶ of California Master of Science PA Studies Program sponsored by ӣ����Ƶ of California. 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remains in effect until the program closes or withdraws from the accreditation process or until accreditation is withdrawn for failure to comply with the Standards.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 March 2032. The review date is contingent upon continued compliance with the Accreditation Standards and ARC-PA policy. The program’s accreditation history can be viewed on the ARC-PA website at http://www.arcpa.org/accreditation-history-dominican-university-of-california.

The ARC-PA decision is based on the program application and appendices, the report of the site visit team, the program’s response to the site visit team’s observations and the program’s accreditation history.

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“Congratulations to Dr. Carl Garrubba and his amazing and hard-working faculty and staff who have made this possible,” said Dr. Ruth Ramsey, Dean of the School of Health and Natural Sciences. “It has been a long road, over at least the last five years, and has entailed much hard work, many reports to the ARC-PA, and the involvement of many across the Dominican campus, including the past and present Vice-Presidents for Academic Affairs, the Facilities Department, and the Office of Admissions.”

Photo above of Dominican's MSPAS Class of 2022