Only PA program on shore no longer accredited

Out of compliance, that’s the ruling the University of Maryland Eastern Shore Physician Assistants program is facing from the national governing body on those programs.

The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for Physician Assistants cited UMES for being non-compliant in five areas: institutional oversight, reporting, staffing, clinical sites and general support.

The graduate program was on probation for those issues since September 2014.    

The Commission says UMES did not do enough to improve in that year and as a result has stripped its accreditation.    

What will happen to the students? Those set to graduate this year still can. For those who are not set to graduate, it’s less certain.    

UMES is working with other schools to find avenues by which they can graduate down the line.

One undergraduate student 47 ABC spoke to that was planning on enrolling in the physician assistant (PA) program said the removal of accreditation is something she’ll have to factor into her plans for next year.

“It changes my plans greatly like I guess I’m going to have to start looking out of state instead of just looking in-state since Towson and this one are the only one here,” said UMES senior Raquel Hockaday.

Hockaday said the physician assistants program was a huge draw at UMES.

Still, the program isn’t gone for good, UMES plans to learn from this and rebuild the program better than ever.

University president Dr. Juliette Bell said in a letter to the campus community “the Commission’s findings are a major setback for the physician assistant program and a region in need of qualified health care professionals. Consequently, UMES, with the support of University System of Maryland, is committed to taking this opportunity to rebuild the PA program into on that reflects our core values, as our other programs do, and exceeds the Commissions standards.