New Baylor Physician Assistant Program Celebrates Accreditation Milestone
On July 18, 2025, Baylor University’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences received official notice that the new Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) program has been granted Accreditation-Provisional status by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA).
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.
“This is a momentous and celebratory moment for our program, Robbins College, and Baylor University,” shared Baylor MPAS Program Director Meredith Quinene, DHSc, MPAS, PA-C, DFAAPA. “The granting of Accreditation-Provisional status speaks to Robbins College and Baylor University’s commitment to healthcare education and the competence of our faculty and staff in creating an exceptional education program for future physician assistants.”
This October, Quinene and her team will welcome 75 aspiring physician assistants (PAs) to Baylor. These students will form the inaugural cohort of this innovative program.
At its launch, Baylor will be one of very few PA programs in the world offering a hybrid curriculum—combining online learning experiences, intensive on-site immersions in Waco, Texas, and clinical experiences close to home and across the country. While hybrid learning is just emerging in PA education, Baylor has a reputable track record for providing outstanding hybrid learning experiences through the University’s Doctor of Physical Therapy and Doctor of Occupational Therapy programs.
To deliver an exceptional hybrid curriculum, the Baylor MPAS program will utilize advanced online learning technologies as well as state-of-the-art facilities, including a new $4.5 million simulation and skills facility located on the Waco campus. Under the direction of expert PA faculty and with the support of Baylor resources, the MPAS program is poised to educate and prepare highly skilled, mindful, and empathetic healthcare leaders.
“We are celebrating alongside Dr. Quinene and the MPAS program team at the announcement of this significant accreditation milestone,” said Jason R. Carter, PhD, Dean of Robbins College. “With Baylor’s excellent reputation in healthcare education and the high demand for capable, compassionate health care providers, launching the new PA program is an opportunity to meet a significant need while aligning with the University’s strategic priorities.”
Learn more about admission requirements and the Baylor MPAS program at physicianassistant.robbins.baylor.edu.
ACCREDITATION STATEMENT
The ARC-PA has granted Accreditation-Provisional status to the Baylor University Physician Assistant Program sponsored by Baylor University.
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-history-baylor-university-waco/.
ABOUT ROBBINS COLLEGE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SCIENCES AT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
Established in 2014, Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences seeks to enhance health, quality of life, and human flourishing for all individuals and communities through education, research, and innovation. It includes six academic departments—Communication Sciences and Disorders; Health, Human Performance, and Recreation; Human Sciences and Design; Occupational Therapy; Physical Therapy; and Public Health—along with the Division of Health Professions, which houses the Master of Physician Assistant Studies program. Robbins College offers 13 bachelor’s degrees, eight master’s degrees, and six doctoral degrees, as well as nine graduate programs in partnership with the U.S. Army. Graduate programs in Robbins College are offered in a variety of modalities, including on campus, online, and hybrid.