5th Edition of the ARC-PA Standards

The process of ensuring that your program is aligned and compliant with the new edition of the ARC Standards should be happening sooner than later, even if you are not scheduled for a site visit until years from now.  

I have completed an in-depth review of the B Standards section to identify the changes and differences. Probably the most noticeable modification is that the annotations are gone. They have been replaced with lists. It certainly makes the document easier to read, and I believe in some ways, easier to map now that many of the items formally included in the annotated paragraph now have a number and letter. The other significant change in the B Standards is that there is a new B4 section. The good news is that the Standards in this section are not new. They have simply been moved from the C Standards section to the B section. These Standards address the assessment of student learning.

Overall, some changes are essential to note. One I especially appreciate is the consistency and clarity related to the role and use of the terms learning outcomes, instructional objectives, and competencies (B 1.03). However, this may be unique to me!  Other noteworthy changes include the addition of four areas of new content. One is the newly stated requirement that the curriculum must not only be consistent with the program goals and mission (B1.01a) but now also must be consistent with the program competencies, aka defined graduate outcomes (B1.01b). Instruction during the didactic phase must now include pre, intra and, post-operative care (B2.08c), patient advocacy (B2.15c), and provider wellness to include prevention of burnout and impairment (B2.20). Last, B3.07 reflects a significant change related to preceptors and practice types. There is more information regarding the changes to this Standard from Sharon Luke and a great article by Robert Philpot as part of the ARC-PA Fall 2019 newsletter about some of the other significant changes to the Standards. It's definitely worth a read.

Many Standards changed their numbers or now have numbers as I mentioned the transition from annotations to lists. Thus, a full mapping review of your curriculum is essential to make sure all of your documents are updated to the new Standards, and you are working toward ways to ensure this new content is part of your curriculum. I think it is also a good idea to also keep the Accreditation Manual close by as you review your curriculum for compliance with the Standards. The Accreditation manual has also been revised to align with the 5^th edition. The manual is invaluable in helping you determine whether you have the examples of evidence and performance indicators to document and demonstrate compliance.

To encourage you to roll up your sleeves and get started on mapping to the new Standards, I am providing a comparison summary between the 4^th and 5^th edition of the B section Standards. My hope is it will encourage you to take on this task sooner than later and that it helps to streamline the time it takes.

B Standards 4th to 5th Edition Comparison Chart    CLICK HERE

References

Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant. (2019). Accreditation Standards for Physician Assistant Education. 5^th Edition. Retrieved from http://www.arc-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Standards-5th-Ed-Nov-2019.pdf

Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant. (2018). Accreditation Standards for Physician Assistant Education. (2018). 4^th Edition. Retrieved from http://www.arc-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Standards-4th-Ed-March-2018.pdf

Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant. (2019). Accreditation Manual. 5^th Edition. Retrieved from http://www.arc-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ AccredManual-5th-edition-11.19.pdf

Philpot, R. (2019, Fall). Ten things to know about the 5th edition of the ARC-PA Standards. Retrieved from https://mailchi.mp/arc-pa/newsletterfall2019