Xavier University of Louisiana has achieved national accreditation from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant for its Physician Assistant Program. Its partnership with Ochsner Health made the accreditation process, which began in 2019, possible.
Since its inception, the PA program has graduated 108 students, with approximately 48% taking positions with Ochsner Health.
Varsha Castro Gusman, the founding program director and a Xavier alumna, oversees the PA program. With over 11 years of experience as a practicing PA in neurocritical care at Ochsner, Gusman emphasizes the program’s significance in addressing community health disparities.
“This is a milestone celebration for both Xavier and Ochsner Health,” says Gusman. “The legacy that we have created will greatly impact the health of the diverse communities that we serve. We have the potential to diversify the PA profession and make a direct impact by eliminating health disparities in our communities. I firmly believe that we will become a national leader in the advancement of PA education and become one of the top PA programs in the country.”
The PA curriculum consists of three semesters of rigorous classroom instruction, followed by approximately 2,000 hours of clinical experience through 11 rotations at Ochsner facilities.
“Xavier is committed to producing exceptional servant leaders who positively impact the communities they serve, and the full accreditation of its Physician Assistant program is an example of that commitment,” said Dr. Marguerite Giguette, provost and senior vice president of academic affairs of XULA. “Our students are trained to fight inequity and disparity, and we are proud of their progress as they live out the university’s mission to promote a more just and humane society.”
The Power of Partnership
The PA program builds on a long-standing partnership with Ochsner, which began in the early 1980s when the two institutions collaborated to enhance educational experiences for pharmacy students. This partnership has evolved and now includes the creation of the Ochsner Health and Xavier University Institute for Health Equity and Research and the upcoming Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine.
“The PA program is another example of how Xavier University of Louisiana and Ochsner are partnering to train the next generation of healthcare professionals who represent the communities they serve,” said Dr. Leonardo Seoane, the founding dean of the Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine and senior vice president and chief academic officer of Ochsner Health System. In creating this program, we are training a new cohort of physician assistants who will practice locally and throughout the region with a focus on health equity and patient-centered care.
With this accreditation, Xavier becomes one of only four colleges in Louisiana, two in New Orleans, and one of seven Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the nation to offer a PA program.