Accreditation & Program Outcomes

PANCE Results

• NCCPA PANCE First Time Pass Rates (pdf) for the last five years
• NCCPA PANCE Exam Performance Summary (pdf) for the last five years

Accreditation

The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) has granted Accreditation-Continued to the Harding University Physician Assistant Program sponsored by Harding University. 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remains in effect until the program closes or withdraws from the accreditation process or until accreditation is withdrawn for failure to comply with the Standards.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 September 2024. The review date is contingent upon continued compliance with the Accreditation Standards and ARC-PA policy.

Access the Program's accreditation history on ARC-PA's webpage (click on "documents" to view the full accreditation history).

In the unlikely event of loss of accreditation and/or closure of a program, the University is committed to teaching out all currently matriculated students, including those in the PA Program. This may involve allowing them to complete their education at Harding University or assisting them in enrolling in an accredited program in which they can continue their education.

Program Outcomes

The Harding University Physician Assistant Program seeks to develop Physician Assistants graduates who practice and live within a framework of a dependence upon their God and faith. The ability to measure that dependence is difficult quantitatively, but is more reflective in who they are as PAs and how they serve their patients and those around them. We continue to refine this measurement tool.

To measure the Program goals, alumni were surveyed. The results of the most recent survey are as follows:

1. Instruct physician assistants who will provide primary care reflective of their Christian faith and service to their community and to the world.
   • 50% of respondents indicated working in a Primary care specialty (included in that were Family practice, Internal medicine, Pediatrics, and Urgent care).
   • 38% of respondents indicated having practices located in inner cities, rural communities or small towns.
2. Develop practice oriented critical thinking which recognizes dependence on God, is committed to lifelong intellectual excellence, and is built upon a foundation of general cultural knowledge.
   • 92.7% of respondents maintain BLS certification
   • 74.5% of respondents maintain ACLS certification
   • 54% of respondents maintain NCCPA certification
   • 23.6% of respondents listed PALS certification
   • 12.7% of respondents listed ATLS certification  
   • 1.8% of respondents listed NALS certification
3. Promote supportive personal and professional relationships.
   • 100% of respondents identified as members of AAPA
4. Nurture lifelong personal habits that lead to a healthier quality of life physically, spiritually, psychologically and socially.
   • 90.5% of respondents acknowledged prayer
   • 83.0% of respondents acknowledged outdoor activities
   • 81.1% of respondents acknowledged exercising
   • 64.15% of respondents acknowledged Bible study
   • 13.2% of respondents acknowledged meditating
5. Emphasize a servant-leadership which prepares graduates to have a respect for other cultures and an understanding of world missions.
   • 80% of respondents acknowledged leadership in church activities
   • 34.2% or respondents acknowledged direct involvements in missions
   • 20% of respondents  acknowledged leadership in community organizations 

Program Performance

• Total Students Matriculated Since the Program's Inception 2005: 534 students (as of Fall 2021)
  • Overall Attrition Rate: 3.0%
  • 3-year Attrition Rate Chart pdf

  • NCCPA Recently Certified PA Grad Survey Results pdf
• Graduates (as of December 2021): 482 graduates
  • Overall Graduation Rate: 96.98% (as of December 2021)
• Job placement
  • Class of 2021: 55.6% have secured a PA position prior to graduation (Graduation Dec. 2021)
  • Class of 2020: 92.59% of survey respondents are employed as a clinically practicing PA

The Program does not "place" graduates in a job. Graduates are free to accept a position in a specialty of their choice (although we hope in primary care) and in any area of the country. Some have job offers prior to graduation. Some wait until after they take the PANCE (and take a vacation, have their wedding or delivery a baby) to start job hunting. We provide our students with many job opportunities not only through their clinical rotations, but also through job postings sent directly to the Program and passed on to our students.

Contact Us

PA-Admissions@harding.edu

Fax: 501-279-4811

Mailing address:
Harding University
Physician Assistant Program
HU 12231
Searcy, AR 72149-5615