DECATUR, Ga. — Agnes Scott College is developing a new physician assistant program that is slated to begin in the 2025-2026 academic school year, pending accreditation.
The school recently announced the program will be led by LeAnne Martinelli. The college said in a news release it wants to meet the growing need for healthcare professionals.
“Agnes Scott’s mission and values empower students to think deeply, innovate and promote inclusivity. These values are the core of the physician assistant profession,” Martinelli said in the news release. “PAs were established in 1967 to increase healthcare availability. Today, PAs pledge as part of their oath to provide compassionate and culturally competent medical care to all patients. The PA program will embody the diverse culture of Agnes Scott and educate students to provide community-based healthcare.”
The future program intends to educate students and create a pipeline to fill job vacancies in the state. Kelly H. Ball, the associate vice president and dean for graduate studies, said Agnes Scott is responding to the community's need for more healthcare workers by creating a master's level physician assistant program.
"Our goal is to increase the diversity of physician assistants in the community through this program, as we have been doing through our medical science and pre-medical post-bacc programs," Ball said.
Before the school can admit students, the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant has to accredit the program. A substantive change application must also be filed with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Read more about the program on the college's website.