Be part of something extraordinary. The LMU Physician Assistant Program in Chattanooga will welcome its inaugural cohort in January 2027, with applications opening in May 2026. Our program is led by a diverse, experienced faculty deeply committed to your growth as a clinician and leader in healthcare. Nestled in the heart of one of the nation’s most vibrant small cities, our state-of-the-art facilities provide an inspiring environment for learning and collaboration. Backed by Lincoln Memorial University’s proven legacy of excellence in health professions education, you’ll gain the knowledge, skills, and confidence to make a lasting impact on your community and beyond.
At the heart of our program, there are five core values—autonomy, altruism, accountability, attunement, and advocacy. These are not just words on paper; they are the foundation of how we learn, teach, and care for patients.
You will see these values reflected throughout the curriculum—in how we engage with one another, approach clinical practice, serve the community, and grow as professionals. Our commitment to these values fosters a learning environment where professionalism, compassion, and accountability are lived expectations rather than just taught concepts.
Throughout your time in the program, these values will be consistently modeled by faculty and peers. While they are not measured like academic competencies or program goals, they are fundamental to how we interact with patients, colleagues, and our community.
We believe that excellence in clinical care is inseparable from excellence in character.
| Autonomy | We will honor patient autonomy by ensuring individuals have a voice in their care decisions, while preparing providers to practice at the highest level of their training and professional scope. |
| Altruism | We will utilize active community engagement and service to build a shared sense of purpose among faculty and students, while deepening our understanding of community health and the value of serving others. |
| Accountability | We will encourage a culture of lifelong learning by engaging faculty and students in active learning and professional growth, grounded in self-accountability and mutual respect. |
| Attune | We will support faculty and graduates in providing holistic, patient-centered care by integrating the physical, emotional, social, and preventive aspects into clinical practice. |
| Advocacy | We will empower faculty and graduates to engage in healthcare policy and legislative initiatives to advocate for the profession and the patients we serve. |
The Lincoln Memorial University Chattanooga PA Program has applied for Accreditation - Provisional from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). The Lincoln Memorial University Chattanooga PA Program anticipates matriculating its first class in January 2027, pending achieving Accreditation - Provisional status at the October 2026 ARC-PA meeting.
* 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. Accreditation-provisional remains in effect until the program achieves accreditation-continued after its third review, closes or withdraws from the accreditation process, or until accreditation is withdrawn for failure to comply with the Standards.
In the event the Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) Physician Assistant Program – Chattanooga is not granted Accreditation-Provisional status from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA), the Program will not commence and will not matriculate a student cohort in January 2027 as planned. If the Program is not granted Accreditation-Provisional status, applicants will be notified in writing and receive a full refund for any tuition and fees paid to the Program within 30 days of the Program receiving notification of the ARC-PA decision. Fees paid by applicants to the program will be reimbursed. Other expenses associated with the admissions process, such as interview travel, are not included in the LMU refund policy.
