Tag: Accreditation

News

7.29.20

Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions Receives Accreditation Reaffirmation

Commission provides commendations.

Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions (RMUoHP) is pleased to announce that the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), a regional accrediting body recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education, has formally reaffirmed accreditation for the University following the 2020 Evaluation of Institutional Effectiveness, which included an institutional self-evaluation report and comprehensive peer-evaluation.

The reaffirmation of accreditation is the first since RMUoHP initially received its institutional accreditation by the NWCCU in 2010. The next evaluation of Institutional Effectiveness will be held in the spring of 2027.

“We are very pleased to achieve the formal status of reaffirmed accreditation from the NWCCU,” said Dr. Richard P. Nielsen, founding president and CEO of Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions. “Accreditation recognizes the quality of our evidence-based graduate healthcare education, which is essential to our students as they pursue their healthcare education programs and embark in their careers as healthcare providers in their chosen healthcare specialties.”

According to the official letter of reaffirmation, the NWCCU commended RMUoHP for its:

  • “Profound sense of student centeredness that contributes to the institution’s success. From the moment students inquire about RMUoHP programs systems are in place to engage with them through matriculation, providing resources that they need to be successful, whether as a residential student or a limited residential student. The Evaluation Team was impressed with the breadth of institutional support that continues post-graduation to support them as alumni.”
  • “High quality support systems to assist the campus community. Specifically, the Evaluation Team commends the staff that has developed the institution’s technology infrastructure and systems, including the user training required for optimal utilization of the systems that are in place, commends the Library and the Writing Center for their timely responses to requests for their help, and to the administration and staff for directing resources into these support systems. The Evaluation team also commends RMUoHP for establishing a robust faculty development system.”
  • “Campus culture conducive to strong positive morale among all campus constituencies. The Evaluation Team believes that the development of the shared governance model will help to maintain the morale, as the campus grows in complexity into the future.”

“This reaffirmation of accreditation is an important and strategic moment for RMUoHP,” said Sandra L. Pennington, PhD, RN, Chief of Staff for the Office of the President at RMUoHP, and Accreditation Liaison Officer to NWCCU. “It truly speaks to President Nielsen’s vision to support students, staff, and faculty, and to the mission of the University. It also positions us to continue providing the high-quality education we are known to deliver — far into the future.”

RMUoHP currently enrolls more than 1,000 students and offers nearly 60 advanced healthcare degrees, concentration tracks, certifications, and continuing education programs.

“Our current and future students can be assured RMUoHP is offering the most innovative healthcare education available anywhere in the country,” said Mark Horacek, PT, PhD, MS, executive vice president for academic affairs and provost. “Accreditation by NWCCU ensures RMUoHP is meeting the highest standards possible for a university and positions RMUoHP among the upper echelon of great institutions providing advanced healthcare learning.”

News

6.24.19

The Proposed Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine Receives Candidate Status

Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine Logo

Key milestone in accreditation process.

Following a year of working on its self-study, the proposed Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine (Noorda-COM) received notification from the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) of approval to advance to Candidate Status from Applicant Status.

The self-study was submitted by Noorda-COM to COCA whose Executive Committee accepted, reviewed, and approved it on June 6th.

“This is three-months ahead of our original schedule,” said Dr. John J. Dougherty, founding dean and chief academic officer for the proposed Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine. “We are appreciative of the [COCA] commissioners’ careful consideration and acknowledgement. COCA found the self-study to be 100 percent in compliance with all administrative, academic, and financial standards.”

The status change is one essential step in receiving full accreditation from COCA. The proposed Noorda-COM plans to submit self-study II later in the upcoming year, which, if approved by COCA, will change the status to Pre-Accreditation. At that point, the college may begin student recruitment.

The U.S. Department of Education and Utah state regulators were also informed by COCA of the progress of the proposed Noorda-COM’s status.

The self-study outlines in detail the proposed Noorda-COM’s progress in preparing its leadership team, financial support, potential for integration in local and regional hospitals and clinics, and in other key areas.

The proposed Noorda-COM established a strong leadership team with the appointment of Dougherty as founding dean and chief academic officer, the appointment of Dr. Richard P. Nielsen as founding president and CEO and who is also founding president and CEO of Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions, Francis Gibson, chairman of the Board of Trustees for the proposed Noorda-COM, and a governing Board of Trustees comprised of distinguished health and business professionals. The proposed Noorda-COM also has the financial backing of major investors and has developed strong relationships with the top hospitals, clinics and healthcare systems in the intermountain western region.

“We are very fortunate,” said Nielsen. “We have fantastic relationships in the community, a strong and active Board, generous investors, and some of the top healthcare leaders in the country helping us bring this medical school to our community. We could not do it without them.”

News

4.16.19

RMUoHP Physician Assistant Program Granted Accreditation-Continued Status

The Master of Physician Assistant (PA) Studies degree program at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions was granted Accreditation-Continued status by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). Accreditation-Continued status is granted when a currently accredited program is in compliance with the ARC-PA standards.

“This is another great success for Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions to help impact the future of healthcare,” said Mark J. Horacek, PT, PhD, executive vice president for Academic Affairs and Provost at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions (RMUoHP). “The Physician Assistant program was awarded the status for 10-years, which is the maximum duration for a PA program. The accreditation status is a result of the previous five years of accreditation processes, institutional support, and outstanding program outcomes resulting from countless hours of dedication, planning and execution.”

Previously, the PA program held Accreditation-Provisional status. Following an initial site visit in 2014, a mid-cycle site visit in 2016, and a final provisional site visit in 2018, the program was granted Accreditation-Continued status.

According to the ARC-PA, “The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. has granted Accreditation-Continuedstatus to the Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions Physician Assistant Program sponsored by Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions. Accreditation-Continued is an accreditation status granted when a currently accredited program is in compliance with the ARC-PA Standards.”

Physician Assistant Program Director Dr. Michael Nelson

“Receiving Accreditation-Continued status bolsters confidence in our graduate and future students who will know that the program provides the expected education for entry level Physician Assistants,” said Michael Nelson, DHSc, MPAS, PA-C, Department Chair and Master of Physician Assistant Studies program director at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions. “The new status means the medical community has an additional source of Physician Assistant training to help meet the needs of the healthcare provider shortage in Utah and across the nation.”

The RMUoHP Masters of Physician Assistant Studies program is designed to educate outstanding clinicians equipped to handle the challenges of practicing medicine in a multifaceted and complex healthcare system. The program emphasizes a holistic patient-centered care approach, educating students not only in the foundational domains of medical knowledge and patient care, but also to:

  • approach complex health problems through sound clinical reasoning, with sensitivity for the unique situation and concerns of each individual patient,
  • leverage the powers of information technology and collaborative networking to make thoughtful, evidence-based decisions at the point-of-care,
  • master the art of connecting with patients of diverse characteristics and backgrounds, and
  • serve as ethical professionals who stand as examples and leaders in their communities and amongst their colleagues.

In addition to the Master of Physician Assistant Studies degree program, in 2019 RMUoHP began offering a new Doctor of Medical Science (DMSc) degree program designed to expand PAs’ careers focused on skills, contributions, and leadership.

About Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions

Founded in 1998 and located in Provo, Utah, Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions (RMUoHP) is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, an institutional accrediting body recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. This accreditation is the highest achievable in the United States. RMUoHP offers graduate healthcare education exclusively and has  a reputation for high-quality, evidence-based, and outcomes-oriented healthcare programs.   www.rm.edu