Leaders from ACHE and UAFS at the signing ceremony. Two current ACHE students pictured are also proud UAFS alumni.
The University of Arkansas – Fort Smith (UAFS) and the Arkansas Colleges of Health Education (ACHE) signed a new affiliation agreement on August 25 that guarantees qualified UAFS students an admissions interview for graduate programs at ACHE.
The partnership creates a formal pathway for UAFS students seeking admission to ACHE’s Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine, School of Physical Therapy, School of Occupational Therapy, and Master of Science in Biomedicine program.
Under the agreement, UAFS applicants who meet specific academic and professional criteria will bypass ACHE’s initial screening process and automatically receive an admissions interview. To be eligible for interview consideration, students must complete all prerequisite coursework from a regionally accredited institution and meet minimum GPA and entrance exam scores specific to each ACHE program.
“We have 29 UAFS alums right now enrolled across all of our programs, and we want that number to grow,” said ACHE Assistant Provost Christopher Smith, Ed.D. “And we believe that through this agreement, building strong relationships from the top all the way across our institutions, and ensuring that those relationships continue to grow and continue to benefit both of us, will make that possible.”
“We want that smooth transition from UAFS to ACHE and to then, hopefully, keep those individuals here in the River Valley to be therapists, physicians, and other healthcare professionals.”
UAFS Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Shadow Robinson, Ph.D., echoed the importance of regional partnerships to drive regional success.
“I think all of us have in our hearts a mission to serve this region,” Robinson said. “We know that the demand and need for health care is going to go up. And at a university committed to social mobility, we want to see our students get those amazing jobs, hopefully in this area. You help make that possible. And as we look to spur the economic growth of our community, you help make that possible, too.”
Concluding the signing, ACHE President & CEO Kyle Parker, JD, explained that affiliation agreements of this nature are rare. “We want to make sure that we always bring in the best. These affiliation agreements, we do them very sparingly, because when we sign them we look to institutions that expect the best out of their students as well.”
He explained that last year more than 6,600 applicants applied to the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine program, “And we chose the best of the brightest.”
“It thrills me to get our two institutions together,” he said. “We don’t compete, we compliment, and that is what matters here.”
For each program, applicants must receive certification from a designated UAFS faculty or staff member verifying that all eligibility criteria are met. Interviews may be conducted on-site or online, depending on the program.
Although a guaranteed interview is offered under the agreement, admission is not guaranteed. Students who are accepted but defer enrollment may be required to pay the deposit for their originally scheduled start year, subject to approval.
The agreement is effective for three years and will automatically renew annually unless terminated by either institution with 90 days’ written notice. It will continue to apply to currently enrolled UAFS students at the time of any termination.