SEARCHFor Site Visitors
Now Accepting Applications for Site Visitors
Application Deadline: March 15, 2025
Notifications to Applicants: week of April 7
Site Visitor Workshop: July 19-20, 2025 in Bloomington, Minn.
ARC-AA is increasing its site visitor cadre and is seeking anesthesiologist assistant educators, physician anesthesiologists, and university deans to become site visitors. The next site visitor workshop will be held immediately following the conclusion of the CAAHEP Accreditation Workshop at the Radisson Blu Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn. The workshop will begin on Saturday, July 19, at 1 PM and conclude on Sunday, July 20, at noon. The ARC-AA will cover the costs during the workshop, including food and 1 night hotel for the invited applicants; applicants are responsible for the travel expenses to and from the workshop.
For consideration, complete and return the application packet by March 15, 2025, to jennifer@arc-aa.org. Incomplete packets or late submissions will not be considered. The complete application includes:
- The application
- Current CV
- Letter of support from your employer
- 2 letters of recommendation
- Acknowledgement of the expectations of a site visitor
Tools and Resources
for ARC-AA Site Visitors
The site visit is the most critical and complex aspect of the accreditation process. From the applicant program’s perspective, it is also the most visible function of the Accreditation Review Committee for the Anesthesiologist Assistant (ARC-AA). The ARC-AA is responsible for assuring that those engaged in the site visit are qualified and competent.
The Site Visit Team must accurately and reliably collect, review, interpret, verify, and document all information about the program seeking accreditation. The accreditation recommendation made by the ARC-AA Board of Directors to the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) depends upon the information gathered. Unless this information is accurate and fully documented, we will find it difficult to reach a fair and objective decision concerning the education program.
To ensure successful, transparent, and unbiased site visits, we have developed the following tools to amplify and strengthen the work of our site visit teams. These resources include:
The Site Visit Documentation Checklist
The program must share clear documentation before, during, and after the site visit. The program will use this checklist before the site visit to identify and note all applicable documentation for review by ARC-AA.
Site Visit Scripts, Talking Points, and Conversation Starters
Since the accreditation process can be influenced by the performance of our site visit team, we have developed a series of scripts, talking points, and conversational starters to ensure consistency and fairness during the review process.
During the site visit, you may feel like you are being too repetitive. You will give the same introduction of who your team members are and why you are there with each group of individuals you meet. You will be asking the same question multiple times, however, each time, it will be to a different group of stakeholders. As a site visit team, you are looking for common themes. The goal is for a conversational approach that places people at ease with the people you are talking with.
Please refer to this document as you prepare for your site visits to ensure consistency across program evaluation.
The Site Visit Report Template
To ensure that every site visit conducted by ARC-AA follows the same standards and processes, we have developed a detailed Site Visit Report for our site visit team to fill out during the site visit.
This Site Visit Report Includes:
- Sponsorship
- Program Goals
- Resources
- Student & Graduate Evaluations
- Fair Practices
Expense Reimbursement Form
Our site visit teams are reimbursed for expenses that occur during the site visit including:
- Airfare
- Mileage
- Ground Transportation
- Parking
- Lodging
- Meals
- Tips
- Internet
Please fill this expense report out for every site visit you attend and attach all noted receipts.
