Clinical Director - Division of Physician Assistant Studies

Clinical Director - Division of Physician Assistant Studies

The Clinical Director provides leadership and operational oversight of the clinical phase of the PA Hybrid Program. Responsible for clinical site development, student placement, preceptor engagement, clinical curriculum delivery, and accreditation compliance. Ensures all clinical operations meet Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant standards, including A2, A3, B3, and D1.04 requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead development, expansion, and maintenance of clinical rotation sites nationwide
• Recruit, onboard, and retain qualified clinical preceptors
• Conduct initial and ongoing site evaluations in alignment with ARC-PA expectations
• Oversee student clinical placements, scheduling, and progression (A3 compliance)
• Ensure breadth, depth, and comparability of supervised clinical practice experiences (B3 standards)
• Monitor student performance; oversee evaluation, feedback, and remediation processes
• Ensure standardization and quality of clinical evaluations and grading
• Teach and facilitate clinical phase courses (e.g., seminars, case-based learning, EOR prep)
• Collaborate with Didactic Director to ensure readiness for clinical transition
• Ensure course design (syllabi, outcomes, objectives, assessments, grading) aligns with program competencies and accreditation expectations
• Ensure comparable and equivalent instruction, learning experiences, and assessment outcomes across all hybrid and distributed environments
• Conduct frequent, objective evaluation of student performance and participate in timely remediation processes
• Participate in program self-assessment, outcomes analysis, and continuous quality improvement activities
• Contribute to student advising, admissions, and support activities
• Act as Co-Chair for the Student Promotion and Advancement (P&A) Committee

Accreditation, Compliance, and Documentation (ARC-PA Aligned)

• Lead clinical phase compliance with ARC-PA standards, including A2 (program oversight), A3 (student policies), and B3 (clinical education)
• Oversee development, review, and continuous updating of all clinical syllabi to meet D1.04 requirements
• Ensure clinical course syllabi include clear learning outcomes, instructional objectives (including SCPE-aligned competencies), assessment methods, and grading policies
• Maintain and audit student clinical logs, patient encounter data, and procedural tracking to ensure accuracy, sufficiency, and comparability across sites (B3)
• Ensure timely collection, review, and documentation of preceptor evaluations, student evaluations, and site evaluations
• Maintain documentation of clinical site onboarding, affiliation agreements, and compliance requirements (A3 institutional and student requirements)
• Develop and implement internal audit systems to ensure ongoing accreditation readiness and data integrity
• Prepare and maintain clinical evidence for ARC-PA reporting, self-study, and site visits
• Partner with Program Director on accreditation responses, annual reports, and continuous compliance monitoring
• Ensure policies related to student progression, remediation, and professionalism are applied consistently across the clinical phase (A3 alignment)

Minimum Requirements

• Graduate of an accredited PA program
• NCCPA certification (current or eligible)
• Eligible for South Carolina licensure
• Minimum 3 years full-time clinical PA experience
• Minimum 3 years PA faculty or clinical education experience
• Experience with student evaluation, clinical instruction, and documentation systems

Preferred Qualifications

• Doctoral degree (DMSc, PhD, EdD, or equivalent)
• Prior experience as Clinical Director or in clinical leadership role
• Experience with clinical site development and preceptor management
• Direct experience with ARC-PA accreditation processes
• Experience with clinical tracking systems (e.g., Exxat, Typhon)

Core Competencies

• Clinical education program management
• Accreditation and regulatory compliance expertise (ARC-PA A2, A3, B3, D1.04)
• Preceptor recruitment and relationship management
• Leadership in distributed/hybrid clinical models
• Assessment and evaluation methods
• Data-driven decision making and CQI
• Strong communication and organizational skills

Supervision

• Reports to: Program Director
• Supervises: Clinical coordinators/staff and adjunct clinical faculty (as assigned)

Work Environment / Expectations

• Primarily remote position with a distributed, nationwide clinical model
• Travel required for clinical site development, recruitment, and site visits
• Participation in periodic on-campus immersion activities as needed
• Standard faculty workload including teaching, service, and scholarship expectations