STEPHENVILLE — The Master of Medical Science in Physician Assistant Medicine at Tarleton State University is one step closer to enrolling its first cohort of students with the awarding of accreditation-provisional status by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA).
Aligned with Tarleton State’s commitment to addressing healthcare disparities in rural and underserved communities, the 28-month MMSc-PAM program will prepare the next generation of physician assistants to deliver exceptional healthcare while serving as leaders in health equity.
“I am proud to congratulate our physician assistant program’s continued accreditation accomplishments,” said Dr. Elizabeth Palmarozzi, Vice President for the Division of Health Sciences and Founding Executive Dean for the proposed College of Osteopathic Medicine (applicant status – seeking accreditation). “We are so pleased to offer this new program with a unique curriculum to educate and serve rural communities across the state, as well as being able to do so in a state-of-the-art educational health professions facility.”
Accreditation-provisional is a status granted to a proposed program that has not yet enrolled students when its plans and allocated resources — if implemented as described — demonstrate the potential to meet ARC-PA Standards.
The Tarleton State MMSc-PAM program distinguishes itself through its focus on health policy, advocacy and community intervention best practices. Students will receive comprehensive instruction on addressing disparities in acute and chronic illness, morbidity and mortality across all populations, especially those in rural communities.
“This accreditation milestone represents years of planning by our dedicated PA faculty and staff. It also reflects our institutional leadership’s commitment to expanding access to quality healthcare,” said Dr. Brenda Diaz, Founding Program Director and Associate Professor. “Our program is uniquely designed to address the critical shortage of healthcare providers in rural Texas and beyond, with a strong emphasis on eliminating health disparities.”
The program is interviewing prospective students and will launch in April 2026. Selection of the first cohort is expected to be completed by February.
“This is an exciting and proud moment for our School of Health and Clinical Professions,” said Interim Dean Dr. Myoung-Gwi Ryou. “Achieving accreditation-provisional status reflects our shared vision of preparing compassionate, highly skilled physician assistants who will help address healthcare disparities across Texas. I am deeply grateful to our PA faculty, staff and leadership team for their steadfast dedication to excellence.”
For more information about Tarleton State’s Master of Medical Science in Physician Assistant Medicine program, visit www.tarleton.edu/pam or contact [email protected]. To learn more about the program accreditation, visit www.tarleton.edu/pam/accreditation-statement/.
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