PBA Receives Accreditation for its Physician Associate Medicine Program
PBA will in October 2025 welcome the first cohort of students for its Master of Medical Science in Physician Associate Medicine program. The ARC-PA has granted Accreditation-Provisional status to the Palm Beach Atlantic Physician Assistant Program sponsored by Palm Beach Atlantic University.
PBA’s Physician Associate Medicine Program is part of the University’s strategic efforts to help health care professionals across the United States. According to the outlook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the field is expected to grow by 28 percent between 2023 to 2033, with approximately 12,900 job openings annually. According to experts, this demand is being driven by an aging population and increased emphasis on preventive care. The outlook for demand in the PA field is at a significantly faster rate than the average for all occupations, with starting salaries above $130,000.
“This program reflects PBA’s commitment to meeting growing industry needs and integrating faith and learning,” said PBA President Dr. Debra A. Schwinn, who was instrumental in developing the program and will serve as a faculty member. “Our goal is to prepare students to excel clinically and serve patients with compassion and integrity.”
The 28-month program comprises 16 months of didactic instruction, followed by 12 months of clinical rotations.
“By incorporating community medicine requirements, our students will have opportunities to serve in mobile health units, domestic violence shelters, and HIV clinics, embodying Christ-centered care in their practice,” added Dr. Phil Tobin, dean of the School of Health Professions and Founding Director of the PA Medicine, emphasizing the program’s unique approach.
The first cohort of students will include 56 students. Applications are already open for the second cohort of students, who will begin in August 2026. This cohort will accept 56 students.
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.
Accreditation-Provisional does not ensure any subsequent accreditation status. It is limited to no more than five years from matriculation of the first class. The program’s accreditation history can be viewed on the ARC-PA website at https://www.arc-pa.org/accreditation-palm-beach-atlantic-university/.
To learn more about PBA’s Physician Associate Medicine program, visit School of Health Professions | PBA • Palm Beach Atlantic University .
About Palm Beach Atlantic University
Palm Beach Atlantic University, founded in 1968, is a private, Christian university, offering 100 different programs and pathways, including undergraduate degrees, graduate degrees and professional degrees. The university has two campuses in West Palm Beach, Florida—19-acres downtown and a 78-acre Marshall and Vera Lea Rinker Athletic Campus provides facilities for training and hosting intercollegiate sports. Sailfish athletes compete in 18 NCAA Division II and Sunshine State Conference varsity sports. PBA affirms the values that have built American society, including religious liberty and the free enterprise system and is dedicated to equipping students to grow in wisdom, lead with conviction and serve God boldly. For more information about future events, please visit pba.edu.
