Compliance With Accreditation Standards on Diversity: Is Institutional Support the Missing Link?

Introduction: The role of accreditation standards in fostering diversity and inclusion in academic programs remains poorly understood. Accreditation is one approach to increasing diversity through Standard A1.11. This study investigates the impact of the Accreditation Review Commission-Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) standards on diversity and inclusion in physician assistant (PA) programs and explores challenges faced by programs in achieving compliance.

Methods: This qualitative exploratory study first reviewed diversity standards in accreditation documents among selected health professions; second, data on the frequency of citations from ARC-PA related to diversity were gathered and analyzed; finally, opinions from 23 PA faculty and leaders were solicited through semistructured interviews. Two research team members analyzed the data to identify themes.

Results: Most institutions sponsoring PA programs had preexisting diversity policies before the inception of standard A1.11 of the ARC-PA. Between June 2020 and March 2023, seven programs received 16 citations related to Standard A1.11. Interviews with faculty revealed 4 major themes: (1) the importance of institutional support, (2) early pipeline development of applicants, (3) prioritizing faculty and/or student diversity as key program goals, and (4) local context, with institutional support and pipeline development being most prominent.

Discussion: The inclusion of Standard A1.11 in the ARC-PA Standards signifies the growing recognition of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in PA education. Institutions can advance DEI in the PA profession by leveraging accreditation-related activities through leadership, partnerships, and accountability measures consistent with the institution's mission and applicable laws. Institutional support emerged as an important factor in compliance with diversity-related accreditation standards.