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Accreditation & Outcomes

Accreditation

Accreditation Status Statement

The ARC-PA has granted Accreditation-Provisional status to the University of California San Diego Atkinson Physician Assistant Education Program sponsored by the University of California San Diego.

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-university-of-california-san-diego/.

PANCE Performance

Upon graduation of the first cohort (2026), the UC San Diego Atkinson Physician Assistant Education Program will publish first time Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE) rates for the five most recent graduating cohorts, as provided by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA).

Annual Attrition Rate

2026

2027

2028

Maximum Entering Class Size (ARC-PA approved) 30 30 30
Entering Class Size 30 30 30
Graduates (available October 2026)
Attrition Rate (available October 2026)
Graduation Rate (available October 2026)