Training for
the Future
Thanks to the generous support of Richard C. and Rita L. Atkinson, the Atkinson Physician Assistant Education Program was established to advance the field of health care education at UC San Diego.
Our Mission
The University of California San Diego School of Medicine Atkinson Physician Assistant Education Program will recruit and retain learners who reflect the diverse population of California. Graduates will be prepared to provide safe, effective, person-centered healthcare in various settings to improve the health and well-being of the patients and communities we serve.
Welcome from the Dean
What a wonderful journey this has been thus far! My spirits lift with each recruitment event as future learners arrive on this picturesque campus or meet us online, their minds full of questions and hearts brimming with excitement. The application and provisional phase of a Physician Assistant program’s inception serves as a time of communication and connection as we hire a full cadre of faculty and staff committed to our mission. Campus and virtual spaces are abuzz with creativity and innovation. Final drafts of syllabi are being drawn up. Faculty and staff are prepping their hearts and minds to soon welcome learners. Throughout all my years in higher education, this time of optimism and elation serves as a reminder of the beauty of higher education and our vital role in society. It is my honor and pleasure to welcome you to the Atkinson Physician Assistant Education Program.
– Elias Villarreal, Jr., DMSc, PA-C
Associate Dean & Founding Program Director
Globally Recognized
A Top 20 Medical School
#1
Health care system in San Diego*
30
Students accepted for first cohort
#20
Top medical schools in the U.S**
Clinician Educators
We welcome your interest in educating the future of the physician assistant profession. We are conducting a survey to gauge our clinician educator partners' interests, assess opportunities and determine best placements for both learners and educators. We are looking for clinicians to participate in either or both didactic and clinical phases of the program.
Meet the Program
WEBINARS 7:00 - 8:30 PM
On-Campus Events 7:00 - 8:30 PM
Important Dates
| Apr 27 2023 | CASPA and UC San Diego PAE supplemental applications open (both required) |
| Aug 1 2023 | Application and materials deadline |
| Sep 1 2023 | CASPA verification deadline |
| Sep 2023 | ARC-PA provisional accreditation decision expected |
| Oct 2023 | Admissions interviews |
| Nov 2023 | Acceptance notification |
| Early 2024 |
Program launch and matriculation (Class of 2026)
|
Accreditation
The University of California San Diego School of Medicine Richard C. and Rita L. Physician Assistant Education program has applied for Accreditation - Provisional from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). The University of California San Diego School of Medicine Richard C. and Rita L. Physician Assistant Education program anticipates matriculating its first class in January 2024, pending achieving Accreditation - Provisional status at the September 2023 ARC-PA meeting. 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.
In the event that Accreditation - Provisional status is not granted by the ARC-PA, the University of California San Diego School of Medicine Richard C. and Rita L. Physician Assistant Education program will not matriculate its first class in January 2024 as planned. The University will not be responsible for refunding application fees or expenses incurred by applicants during the application and/or interview process (e.g., CASPA fees, supplemental application fees, travel to/from campus, etc.).