From left, graduate students Katie Stomski and Chelsea Ward, both physician assistant class of 2025, practice patient exams in one of the clinical rooms in the Physician Assistant Studies Building. The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant has approved expansion of the program from 36 students to 40. (Photo Provided)

MARIETTA — The Physician Assistant Studies program is expanding at Marietta College.

The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant has approved a proposal allowing the college to enroll 40 physician assistant graduate students starting in June 2024, an expansion from 36.

Director Christi Gierhart’s goal when she started in 2022 was to expand.

“This was no small accomplishment,” she said.

The approval demonstrated the commission’s recognition of the quality of Marietta College’s program, she said.

“This program has a long tradition of excellence, and increasing enrollment allows us to further align with the mission and goals (with which) Dr. Gloria Stewart founded the program in 2001,” Gierhart said.

The competitive 26-month program includes rigorous medical training and clinical rotations.

Gierhart credits the program’s dedicated faculty and staff for helping secure the enrollment increase through their commitment to student success. She also thanks the many health care partners who provide clinical training experiences across Ohio, West Virginia and beyond.

“We are excited to increase our cohort size to 40,” said Dr. John Grosel, medical director for the program. “It will further our mission of training physician assistants to provide excellent care to patients in the Appalachian region and Ohio.”

After joining Marietta, Gierhart immersed herself in learning about the program while stabilizing key aspects of it, according to a release from the college. This understanding allowed her to develop a strong proposal and timeline that she presented to the college trustees in July 2022.

The goal was to make the program even more competitive for a successful application to expand enrollment. The proposal outlined classroom adjustments, hiring additional faculty and staff, increasing trainers and manikins for skills labs and building new clinical preceptor sites to support 40 students.

Through a generous anonymous donation, the program secured funding for the improvements. Marietta College submitted an application in May for consideration at the commission’s September meeting.

“This growth is a testament to the hard work of our team and the quality education we provide to equip PA graduates for outstanding medical careers,” Gierhart said.