At its September 2023 meeting, the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA) placed the Pace University–Lenox Hill Hospital Physician Assistant Program-NYC sponsored by Pace University on Accreditation Probation status until its next review in September 2025.

Probation accreditation is a temporary accreditation status initially of not less than two years. However, that period may be extended by the ARC-PA for up to an additional two years if the ARC-PA finds that the program is making substantial progress toward meeting all applicable standards but requires additional time to come into full compliance. Probation accreditation status is granted, at the sole discretion of the ARC-PA, when a program holding an accreditation status of Accreditation-Provisional or Accreditation - Continued does not, in the judgment of the ARC-PA, meet the Standards or when the capability of the program to provide an acceptable educational experience for its students is threatened.

Once placed on probation, a program that fails to comply with accreditation requirements in a timely manner, as specified by the ARC-PA, may be scheduled for a focused site visit and is subject to having its accreditation withdrawn.

Specific questions regarding the Program and its plans should be directed to the Program Director and/or the appropriate institutional official(s). The program’s accreditation history can be viewed on the ARC-PA website.

Accreditation FAQ

The Physician Assistant program at Pace University-Lenox Hill Hospital remains fully accredited. The program will continue its longstanding practice of delivering high-quality education to enable students and graduates to flourish as physician assistants.

  • Accreditation is a voluntary process academic programs engage in to assure they are offering high-quality education as defined by the standards set forth by the accrediting body (ARC-PA). This process is important because it provides an opportunity to regularly assess our program by internal and external Physician Assistant educators to identify strengths and areas for continuous improvement.

  • Yes, the Physician Assistant program at Pace University-Lenox Hill Hospital remains accredited. Accreditation-Probation is a temporary accreditation status to allow programs to make improvements more closely aligned to ARC-PA standards.

  • The program will continue its longstanding practice of delivering high-quality education to enable students and graduates to flourish as physician assistants.

  • This temporary accreditation status will not affect future entering classes. The program is permitted to admit students following our regular admission cycle while it is in this temporary accreditation status.

  • There is no change to didactic or clinical instruction under this status. The program will continue to deliver high-quality didactic instruction and clinical experiences for every student in the program.

  • There is no effect on your degree. Once you meet the degree requirements, you will be awarded a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies and the PA Certificate of Completion as scheduled.

  • Yes. The program remains accredited during this probationary period which allows all program graduates to take the PANCE. For more information on Pace University program PANCE pass rates, please visit the Graduation Rates and Graduate Performance on Certification Exam page.

  • Yes. The primary requirements for licensure are graduation from an accredited program and NCCPA certification. The program remains accredited during this probationary period.

  • Graduates of accreditation-probation status programs are regarded as having graduated from an accredited program.

  • This temporary status will not affect licensure or certification of alumni.

  • The program’s accreditation history can be viewed on the ARC-PA website.

  • The temporary accreditation-probation status is a status initially not less than two years.

  • Yes, students will be updated regularly until the next ARC-PA decision in 2025.

  • No. Physician Assistant program requirements and curriculum will remain the same for all current students.

  • Please contact either Jean Covino, program director for physician assistant studies, at jcovino@pace.edu or Marcus Tye, Dean of the College of Health Professions, at mtye@pace.edu.