FSU’s Physician Assistant Program Granted Accreditation-Continued Status
Oct 21, 2025 8:00 AM
Frostburg State University is proud to announce that the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA) has granted Accreditation-Continued status to the FSU Physician Assistant Program, sponsored by Frostburg State University. Accreditation-Continued is an accreditation status granted when a currently accredited program is in compliance with the ARC-PA Standards. It also affirms the program’s ongoing commitment to excellence in physician assistant education.
“We are filled with a sense of humble pride having achieved this milestone of full accreditation,” said Laurarose Dunn-O’Farrell, MPAS, MS, PA-C, LCPC, Frostburg’s chair and PA program director. “The investment for its achievement was no small feat. The journey onward for our FSU PA Program is one of hope, innovation, dedication, and resilience.” Dunn-O’Farrell continued, “The future is bright for the program, PA education team, and students; where we unwaveringly strive to meet the needs of our community ecosystem and manifest practices of wellbeing for ourselves and one another.”
The ARC-PA’s decision was based on a comprehensive review, which included institutional reports, a site visit by an external team and the program’s response to their observations and its accreditation history.
“At Frostburg, we remain committed to delivering a high-quality and forward-thinking education to our PA students, preparing them for successful and impactful healthcare careers,” said FSU interim president Darlene Brannigan Smith, PhD. “We are incredibly excited about the news of our Accreditation-Continued status and are especially proud of this year’s Class of 2025 cohort, who was successful in achieving a 100% pass rate on the PA National Certifying Exam, significantly exceeding the national exam pass rate.”
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remains in effect until the program closes or withdraws from the accreditation process or until accreditation is withdrawn for failure to comply with the Standards.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 October 2033, following the program’s most recent review in 2023. The review date is contingent upon continued compliance with the Accreditation Standards and ARC-PA policy. To maintain its accreditation status, the program will continue to submit periodic compliance reports and meet all requirements set forth by the ARC-PA.
The program’s accreditation history can be viewed on the ARC- PA website at https://www.arc-pa.org/clinical-postgraduate-pa-program-accreditation/accreditation-history-of-postgraduate-programs/.
For more information on FSU’s Physician Assistant Studies program, visit https://www.frostburg.edu/academics/majorminors/graduate/ms-physician-assistant/index.php.