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Program Mission

The Berry PA Program  is commited to preparing, educating, and empowering the next generation of physician associates to deliver quality, comprehensive, compassionate, patient-centered care to their communities.

College & Program Moto

Not to be ministered unto but to minister.

Program Values

We believe that our core values inform and shape our decisions and actions. The Berry PA Program culture is defined by these values and is commited to them.

Excellence- striving for continuous improvement and pursuing high-quality medical knowledge, clinical skills, and patient-centered care.
Inclusivity - including people or ideas, treating them fairly and respecting the essential dignity of all individuals.
Integrity - implies ethos of honesty, conscientiousness, trustworthiness, and responsibility.
Service - to render care, provide information, and engage in community outreach and health advocacy.

Program Goals

Goal 1: To educate and prepare students with primary-care-based didactic curriculum and clinical experiences for entry-level practice as a physician associate.
Goal 2: To support faculty and students in service and advocacy within the profession and their communities.
Goal 3: To support Berry College’s culture of diversity and belonging.
Goal 4: To achieve first-time PANCE pass rates at or above the national average. (A3.12c)

Accreditation (A3.12a)

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)

SACSCOC is the regional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and charged with ensuring the quality & integrity of higher education institutions and programs. For more information see the SACSCOC website: https://sacscoc.org/

The Berry College Physician Associate Program was granted approval by The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) on 1/26/2024.

Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA)

The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) is the accrediting agency for all physician assistant/associate programs in the United States. The ARC-PA “protects the interests of the public and PA profession by defining the standards for PA education and evaluating PA educational programs within the territorial United States to ensure their compliance with those standards.” For more information see the ARC-PA website: http://www.arc-pa.org/

Berry College has applied for Accreditation-Provisional from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). Berry anticipates matriculating its first class in August 2025, pending achieving Accreditation-Provisional status at the March 2025 ARC-PA meeting. Accreditation-Provisional is an accreditation status granted when the plans and resource allocation, if fully implemented as planned, of a proposed program that has not yet enrolled students appear to demonstrate the program’s ability to meet the ARC-PA Standards or when a program holding accreditation-provisional status appears to demonstrate continued progress in complying with the Standards as it prepares for the graduation of the first class (cohort) of students. The program will not commence in the event that Accreditation-Provisional status from ARC-PA is not received.

PA Program Admissions Information

For detailed information about Admission and Matriculation requirements, see the PA Program Student Handbook . 

Academic Policies & Procedures

The program’s acceptable performance standards are communicated to students in writing via the PA Program Student Handbook , course syllabi, and on the PA Program website. All PA program policies apply to all students, faculty, and staff, regardless of location. Policies listed and detailed on the PA Program web pages and in the PA Program Student Handbook are subject to change. The student must regularly review the policies to ensure they are familiar with the most updated and relevant policies and procedures.

Policies and Requirements for Promotion & Graduation (A3.15a, b)

The PA program is a 24-month, “lock-step” program with 127 credit hours. To progress to the next semester, a student must satisfactorily complete all academic requirements for the preceding semester, including successfully completing all remediation plans. If a student is placed on academic probation at any time during or at the conclusion of a semester, he/she/they must meet the criteria for good academic standing by the end of the subsequent semester to progress through the program. At the conclusion of each semester, the PA Student Progression Committee performs a holistic review of each student’s performance in order to make recommendations for continuation to the subsequent semester. These recommendations are made to the Program Director who has authority to approve the recommendations. In order for a student to progress from the pre-clinical/didactic phase into the clinical phase, they must also be recommended for continuation by the PA Student Progression Committee and approved by the Program Director.

To maintain good academic standing the following must be met:

• Maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00 or above.
• Achieve a “Satisfactory” or letter grade of “C” (70%) or better in all pre-clinical/didactic and clinical phase courses as stipulated within each course syllabus.
• Exhibit professional behaviors consistent with clinical practice as a PA as documented in the PA Program Student Handbook.
• Display the ability to meet the Technical Standards of the Program (outlined in this Handbook).

To successfully complete the Pre-clinical Phase of the Program and enter the Clinical Phase, the student must:

• Achieve good academic standing, as described above, before starting the Clinical Phase.
• Pass the Didactic Seminar Summative Examination with a score of at least 70%
• Pay tuition/fees in full.
• Submit documentation of an ability to meet the program’s technical standards (signed by the student).
• Completion of the Authorization for Release of Records and Information Form.
• Submit documentation of required screenings/immunization updates and any clinical site-specific additional clearances to Exxat.
• Hold current American Heart Association Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support and Pediatric Advanced Life Support certifications, not to expire during the clinical phase.
• Maintenance of a functional cellphone, cell service, and Wi-Fi. It is the student’s responsibility to update the PA program with any phone number changes.
• Be recommended for progression by the PA Student Progression Committee.

For a student to graduate from the PA program, the student must:

• Be in good academic standing, as described above.
• Demonstrate entry-level competence as a physician associate per the Program Learning Competencies (Learning Outcomes), assessed through the Summative Program Evaluation, taken within four months of graduation.
• Be recommended for graduation by the PA Student Progression Committee and approved by the Program Director.
• Have all tuition and fees paid in full.

The College reserves the right to dismiss a student at any time for unsatisfactory academic performance, academic integrity policy, or conduct detrimental to the College, to the welfare of patients, or to the welfare of other students, faculty, or staff. The Program also reserves the right to dismiss a student if it is determined that a student’s conduct is not consistent with the professional behavior of a future Physician Associate. Failure to maintain good academic standing may result in dismissal from the program. In addition, a student who does not pay all tuition and fees by the due date may be dismissed from the Program.

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