Chapman University’s Physician Assistant program has received accreditation provisional status. This allows Chapman to enroll its first students in the program, a move planned for January.
Students will take classes at the Harry and Diane Rinker Campus in Irvine in two years of coursework to earn the Master’s of Medical Science degree. The first year is in the classroom and the second includes clinical rotations in hospitals and medical facilities.
Physician assistants who complete the program and get certified can work in hospitals, medical centers and private practices, as well as in specialties such as pediatrics and cardiology.
Chapman plans to admit 25 students in the inaugural class, increase that to 35 the following year, and cap the coursework at 50 students a year starting in 2019.
Provisional accreditation is granted by the Accreditation Review Commission on the Education for the Physician Assistant.
